Union Home Minister Amit Shah is set to meet Maharashtra’s caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis, and NCP leader Ajit Pawar in New Delhi on Thursday to finalize the next chief minister and outline the government formation.
Eknath Shinde, who led the Shiv Sena faction, stated that he fully supports the BJP’s leadership in deciding the CM. “I called PM Modi and Amit Shah yesterday and assured them that I will abide by whatever decision they make,” Shinde said. He emphasized that his party would not act as a “speed breaker” in the process and dismissed rumors of dissatisfaction over not securing a second term as CM. “For me, CM stands for common man, not chief minister,” he added, thanking the BJP for its support during his tenure.
Ajit Pawar, meanwhile, revealed that the new CM is likely to be sworn in on November 30 or December 1, alongside two deputy chief ministers. This arrangement reflects the power-sharing dynamics within the ruling Mahayuti coalition.
The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance delivered a resounding victory in the Maharashtra assembly elections, winning 230 of the 288 seats. The BJP led the charge with 132 seats, followed by Shinde’s Shiv Sena (57 seats) and Pawar’s NCP (41 seats). The Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi performed poorly, securing just 16 seats.
Speculation is rife that Devendra Fadnavis will return as Maharashtra’s chief minister, with final decisions expected to emerge after Thursday’s meeting in Delhi. With Shinde signaling his full support for the BJP’s choice, the stage is set for a smooth transition to the new government.
In the recently concluded elections, the Sena won 57 seats and the NCP registered 41 seats. It was clearly a major setback for the Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) which was able to gain only 16 seats.
Sharad Pawar’s NCP (SP) got 10 seats to their name. At the same time, Uddhav Thackeray’s (UBT) won 20 seats. The Maharashtra assembly elections were held on November 20. The results were announced on November 23.
