Eknath Shinde Heads Home, Sena Says He’s Not Upset: 10 Points
The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance won 230 seats in the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly.
New Delhi:
The Big 3 of Maharashtra’s BJP-led alliance or Mahayuti, Devendra Fadnavis, Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, met with Amit Shah last evening in Delhi. While Mr Fadnavis is almost certain to be Chief Minister, there are major sticking points.
Here are key developments:
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A meeting of the alliance in Mumbai to iron out details has reportedly been cancelled. So has the meeting of outgoing Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena.
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Sources say Eknath Shinde is heading to his village in Satara and the meetings will be held after his return. His sudden plan sparked speculation that he was unhappy about the government formation talks.
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However, Maharashtra minister and Shiv Sena leader Uday Samant insisted, “Eknath Shinde is not upset”. “He had to go to his village and he will be back tomorrow,” he said.
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Eknath Shinde’s announcement leaving the Chief Minister decision to the BJP cleared the way for a smooth change at the top. Devendra Fadnavis, who led the BJP to a record victory, is set to be chief minister for the third time, sources say.
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The sources have told NDTV that the current formula of one chief minister with two deputies will likely continue. But Mr Shinde is reportedly not keen on a deputy role. Sanjay Shirsat, an MLA and spokesperson of the Shiv Sena, told PTI: “He is unlikely to be a deputy chief minister. It does not befit a person who has already served as chief minister.”
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Mr Samant, meanwhile, said that Shiv Sena wants him to be a part of the Maharashtra government. “If Eknath Shinde wants someone else to be the deputy chief minister, then it is his nobility but we (Shiv Sena) think that he should be a part of the Maharashtra government,” he said.
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The BJP is likely to keep the Home portfolio and Ajit Pawar’s NCP may retain Finance. Eknath Shinde’s Sena will likely get the urban development and public works departments.
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While the BJP is likely to get 22 Cabinet berths, the Shiv Sena and NCP will get 12 and 9 portfolios respectively, sources said.
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The oath ceremony will likely be on December 2, the sources added.
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The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance scripted a landslide victory in the recent state assembly elections by winning 230 seats in the 288-member House. The BJP bagged 132 Assembly seats, while Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar’s NCP won 57 and 41 seats respectively.
