LS polls: NCP, BJP leaders didn't want Shinde as CM in 2019, says Raut

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday claimed that NCP and BJP leaders, who are part of the present government in Maharashtra, did not want Eknath Shinde as the chief minister in 2019.

Talking to reporters, Raut also claimed that NCP leaders like Ajit Pawar, Dilip Walse Patil and Sunil Tatkare had opposed Shinde's name for the CM's post saying they will not work under a junior and inexperienced person like him.

"Congress and NCP said they had several senior leaders and the alliance leader should be someone who is experienced, senior and can take everyone along," the Rajya Sabha member said.

Similarly, before the Shiv Sena (then undivided and headed by Uddhav Thackeray) joined hands with the Congress and NCP (as part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi to form government), BJP leaders like Devendra Fadnavis, Girish Mahajan and Sudhir Mungantiwar told the Sena that they will not like Shinde as the CM, Raut claimed.

Ajit Pawar and Fadnavis are currently deputy chief ministers in the state government led by CM Shinde.

"Shinde was already named as the leader of the Shiv Sena legislature party but the BJP said they would not like Shinde as CM of the alliance," Raut claimed.

"Shinde was appointed leader of the legislature party and he could have been the CM candidate. But no one wanted him," the Sena (UBT) leader further claimed.

NCP (SP) head Sharad Pawar and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi felt the MVA should chose a leader who has the support of all three parties, Raut added.

After the 2019 state assembly polls, the Thackeray-headed Shiv Sena broke ties with long-term ally BJP.

Thackeray subsequently forged an alliance with the NCP (then undivided) and Congress to form government in the state.

In 2022, Shinde rebelled against the Sena leadership, which led to a split in the party. He then formed government with the BJP.

Last year, Ajit Pawar and eight other NCP MLAs joined the government, leading to a split in the NCP founded by Sharad Pawar.