Even as suspense continues over the chief minister’s post in Maharashtra, reports claimed on Sunday that BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis’ name has been finalised for the top post.
A senior BJP leader told news agency PTI that Fadnavis’ name has been finalised as the new CM, and a meeting of the BJP legislature party will be held in the next two days.
"The name of Devendra Fadnavis has been finalised as the new chief minister of Maharashtra. The meeting to elect the new BJP legislature party leader will be held on either December 2 or 3," the unnamed leader said.
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Earlier in the day, outgoing chief minister Eknath Shinde said he has already given “unconditional” support to any decision the BJP would take on the chief minister’s post.
Shinde’s remarks came amid rumours that the Shiv Sena leader is upset over the power-sharing formula proposed at the Mahayuti leaders’ meeting with Union home minister Amit Shah in Delhi.
On Saturday, NCP leader Ajit Pawar said the new chief minister would be from the BJP and that there would be two deputy CMs, one each from the Shiv Sena and the NCP.
With Fadnavis, who was Shinde’s deputy in the outgoing government, tipped to become the chief minister, Shinde is unlikely to swap the positions and instead may recommend his son Shrikant Shinde to the deputy CM post.
Reports claimed that the Shiv Sena has also demanded the home portfolio.
The BJP has already claimed that the swearing-in of the new government will take place on December 5 at the Azad Maidan in south Mumbai in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Both Shiv Sena and the NCP have elected Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar as their legislature party leaders, respectively.
The ruling Mahayuti registered a resounding victory in the assembly elections, bagging 230 seats in the 288-member assembly. The BJP became the single largest party, pocketing 132 seats, while its allies, the Shiv Sena and the NCP, won 57 and 41 seats, respectively.
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