Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde & His Deputy Fadnavis To Meet PM Modi Today Amid Talks For New Cabinet
Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde and his deputy Devendra Fadnavis met Home Minister Amit Shah. Their Delhi visit comes as discussions are underway for power-sharing formula between the new allies.
New Delhi: Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his deputy Devendra Fadnavis are scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President JP Nadda on Saturday as the new allies are expected to announce their council of ministers soon. Shinde and Fadnavis, who took oath on June 30, a day after the then Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray quit in the face of a massive rebellion, are also likely to make courtesy calls on President Ram Nath Kovind and Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu.
According to inputs, Maharashtra Chief Minister will meet Union Minister Rajnath Singh at 3:30 pm and then the meeting with Prime Minister Modi is said to be scheduled for 4.30 pm.
The two Maharashtra leaders met Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday night and they are learnt to have discussed the broad contours of the power-sharing formula between the BJP and the Shinde-led faction of Shiv Sena, news agency PTI reported.
“I am confident that under the guidance of Narendra Modi, both of you will serve the people faithfully and take Maharashtra to newer heights of development," Amit Shah wrote on Twitter on Friday night.
Maharashtra Cabinet Expansion In Two Phases
The meeting comes as the new Maharashtra government is yet to get its cabinet ministers. Earlier it was reported that the expansion of the Maharashtra cabinet led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is likely to take place in two phases. Sources said that the first announcements will be made before the presidential election to be held on July 18 and the second phase will take place after the polls.
As per sources, 28 ministerial posts will be with BJP, out of which 8 will be ministers of state. Meanwhile, the Shinde camp is expected to secure 14 ministerial posts.
We Have Faith In Judiciary: CM Eknath On SC Plea Seeking Disqualification of 15 Sena MLAs
According to PTI, CM Shinde will leave for Pune on Saturday evening and proceed to the temple town of Pandharpur for taking part in the 'Ashadi Ekadashi' maha puja early Sunday morning. Pandharpur in Solapur district houses a famous temple dedicated to Lord Vitthal and Goddess Rukmini.
It has been a long-standing tradition in Maharashtra for the Chief Minister of the day and his spouse to attend the early morning prayers at the temple on 'Ashadi Ekadashi', a prominent Hindu festival.
Shinde's Delhi visit comes also ahead of the July 11 hearing in the Supreme Court on a petition seeking disqualification of 15 rebel Shiv Sena MLAs.
"We have faith in the judiciary," Shinde said in the national capital, asserting the group led by him had the support of two-thirds of the Shiv Sena MLAs.
The Shiv Sena had 55 MLAs before the split triggered by Shinde's revolt. "The Speaker has also granted us recognition," he mentioned, as quoted by PTI.
Rebellion by a section of Sena MLAs, led by Shinde, resulted in the collapse of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government last month.
Nearly 40 Shiv Sena MLAs had backed Shinde, who also has the support of independents and MLAs from smaller outfits.
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