Amid Reports Of Eknath Shinde Being Upset, Shiv Sena MPs Seek Time To Meet PM Modi

The decision on the Chief Minister is expected soon as discussions within the Mahayuti alliance continue.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde during polling campaign.

Source : Eknath Shinde Facebook

Amid multiple reports of Eknath Shinde being upset over the Mahayuti alliance's likely choice of the next Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) MPs have sought time to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Seven MPs and four former MPs from Eknath Shinde's faction plan to meet the Prime Minister today. On Monday, the BJP's top leadership reportedly approved Devendra Fadnavis’s name for the Chief Minister's post. However, sources from PTI suggest delays in the formation of the new government, attributed to the Shiv Sena’s demand that Eknath Shinde remain the Chief Minister.

Maharashtra Government Formation: Key Developments 

Fadnavis was in New Delhi last evening, to meet the senior BJP leaders and attend Om Birla's daughter's wedding, and is back on his home turf this morning. While Shinde was also in Delhi yesterday, and attended Lok Sabha speaker's daughter's wedding as well.

Shiv Sena spokesperson Naresh Mhaske pointed to the "Bihar model," where BJP supported JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar despite fewer numbers, as a precedent for Shinde’s continuation. “We feel Shinde should be the Chief Minister. Senior leaders of the Mahayuti will ultimately make the decision,” Mhaske told reporters.

The Ajit Pawar-led NCP is amenable to Fadnavis becoming the CM, the PTI sources said, adding there is no likelihood of the BJP agreeing to Shinde having another go at the top post as not giving Fadnavis his due may demoralise the party cadre.

Meanwhile, a Maharashtra legislature official dismissed speculation about the imposition of the President’s Rule as a new government is not formed by November 26, when the tenure of the 14th state assembly concludes. The official said that with the submission of the gazette notification listing the names of the newly elected members of the legislative assembly to Governor C P Radhakrishnan on Sunday, the 15th assembly is already in effect. According to Section 73 of the Representation of the People Act, once the notification is issued, it is deemed that the House has been duly constituted, the official explained. 

Maharashtra Poll Results 2024

The ruling Mahayuti alliance, comprising the BJP, Ajit Pawar's NCP, and Shinde’s Shiv Sena, secured a commanding majority in the Maharashtra Assembly elections, winning 230 of 288 seats.  

• BJP: 132 seats (single largest party)
• Shiv Sena: 57 seats
• NCP (Ajit Pawar faction): 41 seats

The opposition performed poorly, with Congress winning 16 seats, Shiv Sena (UBT) securing 20, and Sharad Pawar’s NCP (SP) managing just 10 seats.