“Eknath Shinde stated on Wednesday that he has assured Prime Minister Narendra Modi of his commitment to follow the BJP’s decision on selecting his successor.”
“Union Home Minister Amit Shah is set to meet Maharashtra’s caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis, and NCP’s Ajit Pawar in New Delhi on Thursday to discuss government formation and finalize the chief minister’s name.”
“With uncertainty surrounding the selection of Maharashtra’s next chief minister, discussions on government formation are set to take place in the national capital, where a final decision will be made. Ajit Pawar announced that he, Devendra Fadnavis, and Eknath Shinde will travel to Delhi on Thursday for further deliberations.”
“He stated that discussions will focus on selecting the chief minister and two deputy chief ministers.
Ajit Pawar’s remarks came after Eknath Shinde assured Prime Minister Narendra Modi of his commitment to follow the BJP’s decision on choosing his successor.
Shinde’s assurance followed strong demands from Shiv Sena leaders for him to remain as chief minister, citing the ruling Mahayuti alliance’s landslide victory under his leadership.”
“With Eknath Shinde aligning with the BJP’s plans, the path is clear for a new government, likely led by Devendra Fadnavis, to take charge.
At a packed press conference at his residence in Thane, Shinde announced, ‘There is a meeting in Delhi tomorrow with Amit bhai (Shah), where all related decisions will be made.’ He further stated that the details of forming the new government would be finalized during the discussions in Delhi.”
“Shinde emphasized that he will ‘fully support’ the BJP leadership’s decision on selecting the next chief minister and will not stand in the way.
‘I spoke with Prime Minister Modi and Amit Shah yesterday, urging them to make the decision on the CM. I assured them of my complete acceptance of whatever decision they take,’ Shinde said.”
“Our Shiv Sena will fully back the BJP’s decision on selecting Maharashtra’s next chief minister. There’s no obstacle from our side,” Shinde stated.
Swearing-In on November 30 or December 1
Ajit Pawar informed reporters that the new chief minister is likely to be sworn in on either November 30 or December 1. “The new government will also have two deputy chief ministers,” he added.
Is Eknath Shinde Upset?
Shinde dismissed speculation about being upset over not securing a second term as chief minister, despite the Mahayuti alliance’s resounding victory under his leadership.
“No one is unhappy. We have worked unitedly as Mahayuti,” Shinde said. When asked about his reaction to not being reappointed as CM, he replied, “There’s no issue. Don’t forget, the BJP supported my tenure as CM.”
“I extend my heartfelt thanks to the people and voters of Maharashtra for this landslide victory in the recent assembly elections. I am, and always will be, a worker at heart. For me, ‘CM’ stands for ‘common man,’ not chief minister,” Shinde said.
The Shiv Sena chief also expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Modi and Amit Shah for their support during his two-and-a-half-year tenure as chief minister.
Mahayuti’s Resounding Victory in Maharashtra Polls
The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance made a strong comeback in the state assembly elections, securing 230 of the 288 seats. The BJP emerged as the dominant force, winning 132 constituencies, the highest among the alliance partners. Shinde’s Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar’s NCP also delivered impressive performances, securing 57 and 41 seats, respectively.
In contrast, the Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) suffered a major setback, recording one of its worst results in Maharashtra’s assembly polls, with only 16 seats. Sharad Pawar’s NCP (SP) won just 10 seats, while Uddhav Thackeray’s faction (UBT) managed 20 seats.
The Maharashtra assembly elections were held on November 20, with the results declared on November 23.
