Leaders of the Mahayuti alliance met Governor CP Radhakrishnan on Wednesday to stake their claim to form the government in Maharashtra. The Mahayuti alliance clarified the Chief Minister position by announcing Devendra Fadnavis as the next CM during a press conference at Raj Bhavan. Fadnavis will take the oath as Maharashtra CM in Mumbai tomorrow.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announced Devendra Fadnavis as CM, while Ajit Pawar of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) is set to be sworn in as Deputy CM. However, suspense remains over Shiv Sena Chief Eknath Shinde’s role in the new government.
Portfolio and Power Sharing to Be Discussed Later
Fadnavis confirmed that after staking the claim, the Maharashtra Governor had scheduled the oath-taking ceremony for 5:30 pm on Thursday. He thanked Shiv Sena Chief Eknath Shinde and NCP president Ajit Pawar for supporting him. “I thank Shinde ji for his party’s letter in my support, and I also thank Pawar ji and all other allied parties,” Fadnavis said.
He added that all Mahayuti leaders wanted Shinde to be part of the government and hoped the Shiv Sena Chief would accept the offer. Fadnavis also mentioned that the distribution of portfolios and the power-sharing formula would be decided later.
Fadnavis emphasized unity within the alliance. “The CM position is just a technical arrangement. We have made decisions together and will continue to do so,” he said.
Shiv Sena Demands Key Portfolios; Shinde Still Contemplates Role
Amid speculation about Shinde’s dissatisfaction, Fadnavis revealed that he had met with Shinde and urged him to join the government. “I told him that all party leaders want him in the government. We strive to work together for the people,” Fadnavis stated.
Shinde reiterated that Shiv Sena would support the decision taken by Prime Minister Modi and BJP leadership. “I am happy that Fadnavis recommended my name to become CM two and a half years ago. Now, we are supporting him as CM,” Shinde said.
Shiv Sena is reportedly demanding portfolios like Home and Housing, which the BJP is hesitant to relinquish. A Shiv Sena leader stated that since the CM position went to Fadnavis, the portfolios previously held by him should be given to the Sena.
Shiv Sena MLAs have urged Shinde to accept the role of Deputy CM. “We believe that Eknath Shinde ji should be part of the government and become Deputy CM,” said former minister Uday Samant.
Meanwhile, NCP Chief Ajit Pawar clarified rumors surrounding his visit to Delhi. He stated that his trip was personal and not aimed at meeting Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Pawar said, “I was in Delhi to check on my wife’s bungalow as she is a Rajya Sabha MP.”
At the state BJP legislative party meeting, 132 MLAs unanimously approved Fadnavis’s name for the CM post. Later, Fadnavis, Shinde, and Pawar met the governor and submitted a letter staking their claim to form the government. The letter, signed by all Mahayuti MLAs, was submitted in the presence of BJP observers, including Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and former Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani.
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