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Speculations were rife that Eknath Shinde visited his village as he was upset with the shaping up of new Maharashtra government.
Eknath Shinde with Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar. (Image: PTI)
Maharashtra CM Suspense: A senior BJP leader on Sunday said that the name of Devendra Fadnavis has been finalised as the new chief minister of Maharashtra. Speaking on condition of anonymity, he told the news agency PTI that the BJP legislature party meeting will be held on either December 2 or 3.
However, the Maharashtra suspense story continues even after the second week begins since the declaration of Assembly poll results which put the Mahayuti on top of the Maha Vikas Aghadi in the 288-seated Assembly.
Earlier in the day, caretaker CM Eknath Shinde, who has been under the weather for a few days, said that he is recovering well in Satara. He said that he fall ill due to an exhaustive election schedule. He confirmed his support for the party’s decision on the next chief minister which will be named on Monday.
He said that the BJP will decide on the state’s new CM who will have his full support, and asserted there were no differences among Mahayuti partners on government formation.
Talking to reporters at his native village, Shinde said that the talks were underway on government formation and all decisions will be taken through a consensus by the three Mahayuti allies – Shiv Sena, BJP and NCP.
Amid speculations that his son Shrikant Shinde might get the deputy CM’s post and Shiv Sena is keen on the Home portfolio, Shinde said the Mahayuti allies- BJP, NCP, and Shiv Sena- will decide the government formation through consensus.
Shinde also said he comes to his village regularly and wondered why should there be any confusion (over his visit) when he cleared his stand on the CM’s post last week.
Shinde had a fever and throat infection, his family doctor RM Parte said on Saturday.
“He has been given medicines and put on IV (intra-venous therapy for medication). He will feel better in two days. He is leaving for Mumbai on Sunday,” Dr Parte said.
Maharashtra Government Formation On December 5 | Top Points
- Eknath Shinde had headed to his native village Dare in the Satara district on Friday amid speculations that he was unhappy with the way the new government was shaping up. He was checked on by a team of doctors after he developed a high fever on Saturday.
- Shinde is returning to Mumbai a day after Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule announced that the swearing-in ceremony of the new government will take place at 5 pm on December 5 in Mumbai’s Azad Maidan in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
- NCP chief Ajit Pawar, too, on Saturday said that the next chief minister will be from the BJP along with two deputies. The Mahayuti government had adopted the same formula in its last tenure in which Shinde was the CM and Fadnavis and Pawar were his deputies.
- On the other hand, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Shirsat said that Shinde will take a “major decision” by Sunday evening. “In my opinion, whenever Eknath Shinde feels the need for time to reflect, he goes to his native village. By tomorrow evening, he will make a major decision. It could be a political decision… Everything will be clear by Monday evening,” Shirsat said.
- Shinde had announced earlier this week that he had conveyed to PM Modi and Amit Shah that he would not be an obstacle in the government formation in the state and he would whole-heartedly accept the decisions by the BJP top brass like the BJP workers and leaders do.
- BJP leader Raosaheb Danve on Sunday said the name of Maharashtra’s new chief minister has been finalised and a mere confirmation is awaited from the party’s top leadership. “The people of Maharashtra know who will be the next CM,” former Union minister Danve said without taking any name.
- Even though no formal announcement has been made in regards to CM’s name, BJP sources indicated that Devendra Fadnavis was the frontrunner for the top post.
(With inputs from agencies)
