Eknath Shinde: BJP Will Decide CM, I Fully Support the Decision
Mumbai, December 1 - Maharashtra's caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday stated that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would decide the new Chief Minister of the state, and he would fully support their decision. He also emphasized that there were no disagreements among the Mahayuti allies over government formation.
Speaking to reporters in his ancestral village Dare in Satara district, Shinde mentioned that discussions on government formation were ongoing, and all decisions would be made with consensus among the three Mahayuti allies – Shiv Sena, BJP, and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
Shinde dismissed speculation regarding his visit to the village, reiterating that it was a regular occurrence and not tied to political developments. He added that he had already clarified his stance on the Chief Minister's post last week.
Addressing rumors about his son, Lok Sabha MP Shrikant Shinde, potentially becoming Deputy Chief Minister, Shinde said discussions were still in progress. “We had a meeting with Union Minister Amit Shah in Delhi last week. Now, the three alliance partners will finalize the details of government formation,” he said.
Shinde added, “The BJP has not yet announced its legislative party leader. We are committed to fulfilling the aspirations of the people. There is no conflict among us, and all decisions will be made in the public’s interest.”
The Mahayuti alliance of the BJP, Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar’s NCP retained power with a resounding victory in the recent assembly elections, the results of which were declared on November 23.
Chandrashekhar Bawankule, the BJP’s Maharashtra unit chief, announced on Saturday that the swearing-in ceremony for the new Mahayuti government would take place on December 5 in Mumbai’s Azad Maidan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to attend the event.
While the new Chief Minister has yet to be announced, BJP sources suggest that Devendra Fadnavis, a two-time Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister in the previous government led by Shinde, is the frontrunner for the top post.
