Devendra Fadnavis to be Maharashtra’s next CM? Amit Shah’s key meeting with Mahayuti leaders today

Union home minister Amit Shah will meet Maharashtra’s caretaker chief minister Eknath Shinde, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Devendra Fadnavis and Nationalist Congress Party’s Ajit Pawar in New Delhi on Thursday to discuss the government formation and decide the name of the chief minister.

Amid suspense over the choice of the next Maharashtra chief minister, discussions over government formation will take place in the national capital and a final decision will be taken. Ajit Pawar said he, Devendra Fadnavis and Eknath Shinde will reach Delhi on Thursday and further discussions will be held.

He said discussions will be held for the post of chief minister and two deputy chief ministers.

Ajit Pawar’s statement follows Eknath Shinde’s assurance that he has assured Prime Minister Narendra Modi that he will abide by the BJP’s decision on naming his successor.

Eknath Shinde’s announcement followed vociferous demands by his Shiv Sena party leaders that he continue as CM as the ruling Mahayuti alliance scored a landslide victory under his leadership.

With Shinde falling in line, the stage is set for a new government, likely headed by BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis, to be sworn in.

Addressing a packed press conference at his home in Thane, Shinde said, “There is a meeting in Delhi tomorrow with Amit bhai (Shah) and all related decisions will be taken there.” He added the modalities of forming the new government will be finalised in the meeting in Delhi.

Shinde further sai he will “fully support” BJP leadership’s decision to name the next CM, and won’t be a hurdle in the process.

“I called PM Modi and Amit Shah yesterday and told them to decide (on who will be the CM), and assured them that I will abide by whatever decision they take,” Shinde said.

“Our Shiv Sena will fully support the BJP’s decision to name the next Maharashtra CM. There is no speed breaker from our side,” Shinde said.

Swearing in on November 30 or December 1

Ajit Pawar told reporters that the new CM is likely to be sworn in either on November 30 or December 1. “There will be two deputy chief ministers in the new government,” he added.

Is Eknath Shinde upset?

Shinde rubbished reports that he was disappointed for not getting a second term as CM despite the ruling Mahayuti alliance winning a thumping victory under his leadership.

“Nobody is annoyed. We have worked as Mahayuti,” Shinde said. Asked if he was dismayed that he was not getting a second term, Shinde said, “There is no such thing. You must remember that BJP supported my tenure as CM.”

“I thank the people and voters of Maharashtra once again for this landslide victory in the recent assembly elections. I am a worker forever; for me, CM is not chief minister but common man,” he said.

The Shiv Sena chief also thanked Modi and Amit Shah for supporting him during his two-and-a-half-year tenure as chief minister.

Mahayuti’s thumping win in Maharashtra poll

The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance scripted a powerful comeback in state assembly elections by winning 230 seats in the 288-member House. Recovering from its Lok Sabha elections losses, the BJP bagged 132 constituencies, highest among all constituents of the Mahayuti. Shinde’s Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar’s NCP also performed well.

The Sena won 57, while the NCP secured 41 seats. The Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) suffered a setback, registering one of its worst performances in the state assembly polls after it won only 16 seats. Sharad Pawar’s NCP(SP) won just 10 seats, whereas Uddhav Thackeray’s (UBT) won 20 seats. The Maharashtra assembly elections were held on November 20, and the results were declared on November 23.