Amid ongoing uncertainty regarding the Chief Minister’s selection in the Mahayuti alliance, Maharashtra’s caretaker Chief Minister, Eknath Shinde, described his first post-election meeting with Union Minister Amit Shah and BJP President JP Nadda as “good and positive.”
Key Decision Pending on Chief Minister’s Post
Shinde, who has been actively involved in discussions, confirmed that the final decision on who will take the Chief Minister’s position is yet to be made, and will likely be decided in another meeting scheduled to take place later. He told reporters, “The meeting was good and positive. This was the first meeting. We discussed with Amit Shah and JP Nadda…There will be another meeting of the Mahayuti. In this meeting, a decision will be taken about who will be the Chief Minister. The meeting will be held in Mumbai.”
Shinde’s Comments on His Role and ‘Ladla Bhai’ Title
Before the meeting, Shinde clarified that there were no hurdles concerning the Chief Minister’s post and emphasized the significance of the title “Ladla Bhai” for him. “I cleared my role in the press conference yesterday that there are no obstacles regarding the chief minister of Mahayuti. This ‘ladla bhai’ has arrived in Delhi and the ‘ladla bhai’ is a designation higher than anything else for me,” Shinde said.
Additionally, Shinde reiterated on Wednesday that he would respect whatever decision Prime Minister Narendra Modi makes regarding the CM candidate for Maharashtra.
First Mahayuti Meeting with Key Leaders
The inaugural official meeting of the Mahayuti alliance was held on Thursday, where key political figures, including Shinde, BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis, NCP chief Ajit Pawar, and other alliance members, gathered in the presence of Amit Shah and JP Nadda. A crucial meeting of BJP legislators is scheduled for Saturday in Mumbai, where the party is expected to announce its choice for the Chief Minister’s position.
Fadnavis Dismisses Any Internal Differences
In response to questions about possible internal divisions, BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis made it clear that the Mahayuti alliance was united. He stressed, “In our Mahayuti alliance, there has never been a difference of opinion. We have always made decisions collectively. Before the elections, we announced that the decision regarding the Chief Minister’s post would be taken collectively after the results.”
Election Results and Alliance Composition
The Maharashtra Assembly election results, which were announced on November 23, saw the BJP emerging as the largest party with 132 seats in the 280-member Assembly. The BJP’s allies, the Shiv Sena (led by Eknath Shinde) and the NCP (led by Ajit Pawar), secured 57 and 41 seats, respectively. However, despite the results being declared, the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance has not yet reached a consensus on who will become the next Chief Minister.