Maharashtra Govt Formation Highlights: 'Eknath Shinde Will Take ‘Big Decision’ In 24 Hours,' Says Sanjay Shirsat
Maharashtra Govt Formation Live: Please follow this space for all the breaking news and latest updates on formation of government in Maharashtra.
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Shirsat said that the name of the Chief Ministerial face for Maharashtra should be announced by Friday midnight, and caretaker CM Eknath Shinde will make a big decision in the next 24 hours.
The Shiv Sena leader also asserted that Eknath Shinde will not take any position in the Union cabinet as his interest lies in Maharashtra politics, ANI reported.
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Shirsat told news agency ANI: "Yesterday the leaders of Maharashtra met at the residence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah...PM Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah will decide who will be the next Chief Minister of Maharashtra...The name of the Maharashtra CM should be declared by today midnight. I have the information that the oath-taking ceremony will be on 2nd December...Eknath Shinde will not go to Delhi. He is more interested in Maharashtra politics than Delhi politics."
Shiv Sena leader Uday Samant on Friday dismissed speculation that caretaker Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde was upset and hence left for his native village in Satara district even as government formation has been delayed. The Shiv Sena chief was unwell when he met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi on Thursday night, he told news agency PTI.
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Shirsat on Friday said if outgoing chief minister Eknath Shinde doesn’t accept the deputy CM's post, then it will be given to someone from their party, PTI reported.
On the statement of Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve, Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Anand Dubey said: "Ambadas Danve is a very experienced leader, and if he has given a statement that if Maha Vikas Aghadi had declared Uddhav Thackeray as CM face, it would have benefited us. It is true...Uddhav Thackeray had done a very good job during the time of Covid and it would have benefited us. Congress should consider why they did not declare the CM's face. We have already seen that in 2014 BJP fought the election in the face of PM Modi and got the majority...Congress lost the election in Haryana and Maharashtra due to overconfidence."
Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, speaking at the Congress Working Committee meeting, said: "Poll atmosphere in our favour doesn't guarantee victory; must work harder to frame time-bound strategy and strengthen party".
Congress chief Mallikaurjun Kharge said during a CWC meeting that the EVMs have made the poll process suspect and that the EC must ensure free and fair polls. He further said: "No arithmetic can justify results in Maharashtra, poll pundits confused after MVA's Lok Sabha outcome".
Maharashtra caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde reportedly had "good and positive" discussions with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president J P Nadda on Thursday when the allies and BJP top brass leaders met regarding government formation in the state. Before leaving for Mumbai, Shinde told reporters that the decision about Maharashtra's next CM would be addressed in a subsequent Mahayuti coalition meeting in Mumbai.
"The meeting was good and positive. This was the first meeting. There will be another meeting of the Mahayuti in Mumbai," Shinde told reporters early Friday.
CPI leader D Raja, speaking to news agency ANI, said: "It is a matter of concern. Elections are over, counting is over, and the verdict given by the people is known. The BJP and its allies have won the elections. But why? They are not able to choose the leader to lead the government. It shows the internal contradictions among the BJP and its allies."
"Otherwise, they could have chosen the Chief Minister by this time why they are delaying it? It shows there are problems among themselves and maybe there are ideological problems or political problems or personality problems. They are not able to find an acceptable Chief Minister face even today," he added.
D Raja further said: "That is the reality that BJP will have to explain and Mr Shinde will have to explain or Mr Ajit Pawar will have to explain why it is happening. What are the problems? They should tell the people why they are delaying it."
On Maharashtra CM post, Shiv Sena leader Uday Samant said: "We were with Eknath Shinde till early morning. Tomorrow he will be back and it is not as if the meeting takes place physically only, they also take place through video conferencing, mobile...As Eknath Shinde has said the Maharashtra cabinet will be finalised soon."
"A meeting was held with Amit Shah, which Ajit (Pawar) and Devendra (Fadnavis) attended yesterday. Eknath Shinde has put up his demands respectfully which Amit Shah will take up with PM Modi," says Shiv Sena leader Uday Samant.
A meeting was held with Amit Shah, which Ajit (Pawar) and Devendra (Fadnavis) attended yesterday. Eknath Shinde has put up his demands respectfully which Amit Shah will take up with PM Modi," says Shiv Sena leader Uday Samant.
On government formation and CM face, BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar said: "The Chief Minister will be from Mahayuti and Maharashtra...The Chief Minister will take Maharashtra forward and fulfil the resolve of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj...This will be the quickest oath-taking ceremony of the Maharashtra government in 20 years..."
On Mahayuti leaders meeting with Union HM Amit Shah in Delhi, he said, "Before the oath-taking ceremony of the new government, a discussion takes place in which talks towards finding a solution takes place"
BJP Leader Devendra Fadnavis shared a picture of Thursday's meeting of the Mahayuti leaders with Amit Shah at the latter's residence. In a post on X, he wrote: "Congratulated and felicitated our BJP National President JP Nadda ji for the historic unprecedented success of BJP in Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha Election 2024.
Eknath Shinde ji too was present on this occasion in New Delhi."
Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole raised doubts over the voter turnout data provided by the Election Commission of India.
"Election Commission, at 5 pm (20th November) when they showed the voting percentage, it was 58%, at 11:59 pm, the number was 65.2%, so the question is there would have long queues...where were those long queues, we have sought such videos from Election Commission," he said.
"Next day 3 pm, they tweeted that 66.5% voting took place, which means by next day they increased the voting percentage by 1.3%...we want to ask Election Commission, where did this voting happen?" Patole added.
Shiv Sena Leader Uday Samant stated that the Bharatiya Janata Party will appoint its legislative party leader in two days and everyone will get a clear picture soon, News 18 reported.
As Maharashtra’s caretaker CM Eknath Shinde left for his native village in Satara after Mahayuti's Mumbai meeting was cancelled, Shiv Sena leader Uday Samant clarified that Shinde was not upset over anything.
Shiv Sena leader Shambhuraj Desai said: " We have put forward the opinions of Shiv Sena leaders in front of the senior leaders of Mahayuti including Amit Shah. Either Mahayuti leaders will sit in Maharashtra or from Delhi, senior leaders of Mahayuti in Delhi will find a solution...in the meeting, discussion took place regarding election victory, how the govt should be formed, who will play what role...in 1-2 days, final solution will come out..."
Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske said: "CM Eknath Shinde expressed in a press conference two days ago that we are not interested in the CM's chair. Whatever decision the leaders of Mahayuti take, we stand behind them. We are not Uddhav Thackeray, we will not leave the alliance for the chair... Yesterday a meeting was held at the residence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in which only the development, prosperity and happiness of Maharashtra was discussed and the way the central government has stood behind the development of the Maharashtra government till now, it should stand behind it in the same way in the future as well. This request was made to Home Minister Amit Shah on behalf of the people of Maharashtra..."
The meeting of the Mahayuti alliance that was scheduled to take place today in Mumbai has been cancelled, reports Hindustan Times. All appointments made by CM Eknath Shinde were cancelled today, said Shiv Sena spokesperson Manisha Kayanade.
Background
Maharashtra Govt Formation Live: Please follow this space for all the breaking news and latest updates on the formation of government in Maharashtra. The impasse over the formation of government in Maharashtra where the assembly polls were recently concluded continues with rounds of talks among the allies of the Mahayuti and within the alliance partners.
On Friday, Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde and senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis returned to Mumbai after a meeting with Union Minister Amit Shah along with NCP's Ajit Pawar.
Speaking to reporters in Delhi past Thursday midnight, Shinde said the discussion was "good and positive", adding the next meeting will take place in Mumbai on Friday.
The schedule of the meeting is, however, yet to be decided. Ajit Pawar is expected to return to Mumbai in the afternoon. The BJP is yet to convene its legislature party meeting.
During the meeting, Shinde demanded 12 important ministries in the Maharashtra government in case he is denied the post of Maharashtra chief minister.
He has reportedly sought key portfolios such as Home Ministry and Urban Development. He also urged Amit Shah to ensure that the Shiv Sena receives "proper respect" during the allocation of ministerial berths.
The meeting did not reach a consensus though on the deputy chief minister's role. However, Shinde is likely to have been persuaded by the BJP to take up the role, as he expressed confidence in their leadership and reiterated that the Shiv Sena remains aligned with the Mahayuti alliance.
Emerging from the shadows of a bitter defeat in the Lok Sabha polls, the Bharatiya Janata Party bagged 132 seats, Shiv Sena 57 and the Nationalist Congress Party 41 seats.
The Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) suffered a setback with the grand old party securing just 16 seats while its alliance partners Shiv Sena (UBT) got 20 seats and Sharad Pawar's NCP got 10 seats.
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