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It was the first face-to-face meeting between the two leaders after the duo, along with NCP chief Ajit Pawar, met the top BJP leadership in Delhi last week.
Mahayuti leaders Devendra Fadnavis and Eknath Shinde. (File)
The suspense over the Maharashtra government formation is set to end as state’s Caretaker Chief Minister and Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde on Tuesday finally agreed to take the post of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister, sources tell News18.
There are, however, indications that the Mahayuti allies – Shiv Sena, NCP and BJP – may squabble over portfolios. It is likely that the Shinde Sena and Ajit Pawar’s NCP faction will each get a Deputy Chief Minister’s berth.
The deadlock within the Mahayuti alliance over the top post ended possibly after BJP leader and likely Chief Minister-elect, Devendra Fadnavis visited Shinde at his official residence `Varsha’ in Mumbai today evening. The meeting between the Mahayuti leaders reportedly went on for an hour.
It was the first face-to-face meeting between the two leaders after the duo, along with NCP chief Ajit Pawar, met the top BJP leadership in Delhi last week.
Last week, Shinde’s sudden “illness” and his unplanned departure to his hometown in Satara raised questions, especially after his talks in Delhi with the BJP leadership. His sudden exit scuttled an important Mahayuti meeting aimed at finalising a power-sharing formula over the weekend.
However, the Shinde camp dismissed these claims as rumours and said the caretaker CM is not adamant for the top position.
Shiv Sena leader Bharatshet Gogawale said to ANI, “He (Shinde) did not meet before due to ill health, he is not upset…He had a meeting with the central leadership – Modi ji and Amit Shah, and there might be a meeting tomorrow as well. Decisions will be taken there (by PM Modi & Amit Shah). We are not adamant about any department.”
A day after his return to Mumbai from Satara, Shinde remained at his Thane residence and cancelled all the appointments citing ill health. He also visited a Thane hospital on Tuesday for a medical check-up, following which he returned to his official bungalow.
Last week, clearing the air on CM’s pick, Shinde had said that he would accept the BJP’s decision and would not impede the process of government formation.
Shinde had said that he spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah and had assured them that he would not object to their decision on the CM pick. “You make a decision. BJP’s decision is the final,” he had said at a press conference, effectively clearing the way for BJP to choose a CM from their party.
All three parties have presented a united front despite massive speculation over Devendra Fadnavis’ return to the CM post following the Mahayuti’s massive victory. The BJP won over 131 seats in the recent election, while the Shiv Sena and NCP secured 57 and 41 seats respectively, reducing the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) to a measly 50 seats.
The big decision is expected to come soon as saffron party has appointed Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani as central observers to choose a legislature party leader, who will then become the new Chief Minister.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule had hinted that everyone in the BJP wants Devendra Fadnavis to be the Chief Minister. He had noted that while workers in the Mahayuti alliance may want their respective leaders in the top post, the final decision would be made collectively by the leaders of all three parties.
“A BJP worker never gets upset with the decision taken by the central leadership. Their decision is final. Party leaders make the right decision. The Chief Minister of Mahayuti will take oath soon,” Bawankule had said.
Even as it is not known yet who would take oath as chief minister at Azad Maidan on the evening of December 5, preparations are in full swing for the ceremony, to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, about 2,000 VVIPs and some 40,000 supporters.
