Did Shinde Demand Home Ministry, If Not Maharashtra CM Post?

Mumbai: Amid the continuing suspense over a new Maharashtra Chief Minister, reports claimed that the outgoing CM Eknath Shinde demanded the state Home Ministry, if not given the highest chair. This has been cited in a report by India CNBC TV18, quoting sources. On Wednesday, a Shinde Sena reportedly said Eknath Shinde would never accept the post of Deputy Chief Minister. “The Assembly elections were fought in the name of Eknath Shinde. He deserves to return as the Chief Minister. He will not accept the position of the Deputy Chief Minister,” Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Shirsat told India Today TV.

“If the BJP fulfils our demand (to make Shinde the Chief Minister), a good message will go out to the people. Future elections will prove to be beneficial for us if Shinde is the Chief Minister,” he added in his interview to India Today.

Shirsat also stated there would be clarity on the issue of Chief Minister by November 27. The decision on the chief minister would be taken by Eknath Shinde, Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar after holding discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and other top leaders of BJP, Shirsat told the PTI.

Fadnavis gets green signal from BJP top brass: Reports

Meanwhile, reports citing BJP sources claimed on Wednesday that Devendra Fadnavis was almost certain to be the next Chief Minister as the Cenntral leadership of the saffron party had given a green signal. On November 25, a senior BJP leader from the national capital informed Eknath Shinde over the phone that Devendra Fadnavis would be the next CM and after which Eknath Shinde resigned on November 26, reported the India TV.

The BJP’s central observation team would come to Mumbai in the next two day and during which the formalities of choosing Devendra Fadnavis as leader would be completed, the report cited.

 Suspense continues….

Suspense still remains over who will be the next chief minister of Maharashtra. Eknath Shinde had resigned from the post on Tuesday. The Mahayuti alliance, comprising the Bharatiya Janata Party, Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party won in the Maharashtra elections. They secured 235 of the 288 seats in the Maharashtra assembly, with the BJP winning 131, and the Shiv Sena and NCP bagging 57 and 41 seats, respectively. BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis and Sena chief Eknath Shinde are considered top contenders for the chief minister’s position. No official decision has been made yet.