Eknath Shinde, the caretaker Chief Minister of Maharashtra, has ended the suspense over his role in the new government. He has decided to join Devendra Fadnavis’s Cabinet as the Deputy Chief Minister. The swearing-in ceremony is scheduled for 5:30 PM at Azad Maidan, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi expected to attend.
Sena Leaders Urges Shinde To Join new government
Senior Shiv Sena leaders Uday Samant, Sanjay Shirsat, and Bharat Gogawale visited Shinde at his official residence, Varsha. They made an earnest appeal for him to accept the Deputy Chief Minister’s post.
“By honoring the request of Shiv Sena MLAs, Shiv Sainiks, and Devendra Fadnavis, Eknath Shinde has agreed to take the post of Deputy Chief Minister. We met Fadnavis at his residence, Sagar Bungalow, where he signed a letter recommending Shinde for the position. We then handed this letter to the Governor’s Principal Secretary,” said Uday Samant, a close confidant of Shinde and former Industry Minister.
Samant confirmed that Shinde would take the oath of office and secrecy during the ceremony.
No Dispute Over Cabinet Positions: Samant
“There was no obstacle in this process. We all wanted Eknath Shinde to join the government. Initially, he thought he should focus on party work as the leader of the organization and allow someone else to assume the role. But we made it clear that this was unacceptable to us. Every Shiv Sainik wanted him to become the Deputy Chief Minister. We are grateful to him for accepting our request,” Samant explained.
Samant also clarified that there were no disagreements regarding the allocation of portfolios or ministerial positions. “All three leaders—Devendra Fadnavis, Eknath Shinde, and Ajit Pawar—will meet and make decisions on this matter,” he added.
Former ministers Deepak Kesarkar and Gulabrao Patil echoed Samant’s sentiments. They stated that Shinde initially resisted the idea but ultimately relented following their repeated appeals. They emphasized that his decision fulfilled the wishes of the party and its members.
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