Eknath Shinde is not “upset”; he is “unwell”. At least, that's what Shiv Sena says.
The Maharashtra caretaker chief minister left for his native village in Satara district yesterday, thus delaying the government formation in the state. The Mahayuti alliance, of which Sena and the BJP are part of, swept the recent Maharashtra assembly polls, winning 230 of the 288 seats.
But, their joy of the crushing win over the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance, was soon overshadowed by internal rift in the Mahayuti over the next CM candidate and portfolios.
Though Shinde, after his meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, had said that he will fully support BJP leadership's decision to name the next CM and would not be a hurdle in the process, his actions strongly suggest otherwise. His visit to his native village Dare put off a key meeting of the Mahayuti allies BJP, Shiv Sena and the NCP on Friday. When asked about the meeting between Eknath Shinde, Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar in Mumbai, Shiv Sena leader Uday Samant said that if the physical meeting does not take place, “it can also be held through video conference”. “He (Shinde) is not upset. Even in Delhi, he was down with fever and cold,” PTI quoted Samant as saying.
#WATCH | Mumbai, Maharashtra: On Maharashtra CM post, Shiv Sena leader Uday Samant says, "...We were with Eknath Shinde till early morning. Tomorrow he will be back and it is not as if the meeting takes place physically only, they also take place through video conferencing,… pic.twitter.com/P99iaTF0Ew
— ANI (@ANI) November 29, 2024
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Meanwhile, another Shiv Sena leader, Sanjay Shirsat, told ANI that Shinde will take a “big decision” by this evening. He added that the name of the next Maharashtra CM will be declared by midnight and the swearing-in is likely be held on December 2.
#WATCH | Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra: Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Shirsat says, "Whenever Eknath Shinde thinks that he needs some time to think he goes to his native village...When he (Eknath Shinde) has to make a big decision he goes to his native village. By tomorrow… pic.twitter.com/cEb5akzWrM
— ANI (@ANI) November 29, 2024
Shirsat, who retained his Aurangabad assembly West seat, also added that if Shinde does not accept the deputy chief minister's post, then it will be given to someone from the party. He also dismissed speculations that Shinde will be made a Union minister, saying that the caretaker CM will remain in Maharashtra politics.
Eknath Shinde's meeting with Amit Shah
Eknath Shinde, Fadnavis, who is the frontrunner for the post of the new CM, and NCP chief Ajit Pawar met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president J.P. Nadda late on Thursday to discuss the next government formation in Maharashtra.
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The New Indian Express reported that Shinde has laid down his conditions if the BJP wanted to make Fadnavis the new CM. The BJP, it is learnt, is keen to have the top post since it won 132 seats in the elections, while the Sena won 57. According to Shinde's “compromise formula”, Sena must be given the home, finance and revenue portfolios. The report added that Shinde told Shah that if the three portfolios are not given, Sena will not be part of the new government, but will only extend outside support both in the state and at the Centre.
Shinde is also learnt to have told Shah that he will decide who will be the deputy CM.
Shah, reportedly, told Shinde, Fadnavis and Pawar to meet and discuss the conditions and get back to him.
