Eknath Shinde agrees to be Devendra Fadnavis' deputy on party's persuasion

After days of uncertainty, Eknath Shinde has agreed to be Maharashtra's deputy CM. This follows intense talks with BJP leadership and pressure from his fellow Shiv Sena leaders

After days of speculation, Maharashtra's caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has agreed to assume the role of deputy chief minister, Shiv Sena leader Uday Samant confirmed on Thursday. The announcement follows three days of intense deliberations and back-and-forth negotiations with senior BJP leaders, including CM-designate Devendra Fadnavis, reported The Hindustan Times. 

 

“Shinde will take oath as deputy chief minister. We have communicated this to Devendra Fadnavis,” Samant told reporters, ending the suspense surrounding Shinde’s role in the new Maharashtra cabinet.

 

A delicate power balance 

 

The road to this decision was anything but smooth. Shinde had initially resisted confirming his cabinet position, reportedly dissatisfied with the BJP's refusal to concede the coveted home portfolio and the Assembly Speaker position for a Shiv Sena legislator. Over the past two days, Fadnavis held multiple rounds of discussions with Shinde to iron out the differences.  

 

On Wednesday, Shinde accompanied Fadnavis to Raj Bhavan but remained non-committal about his decision. “I am yet to make up my mind about joining the government,” he had told reporters at the time.  

 

Pressure from within  

 

Shiv Sena legislators played a pivotal role in persuading Shinde to accept the deputy chief minister position. On Thursday morning, Samant revealed that MLAs had expressed their solidarity with Shinde, even threatening to forgo their ministerial aspirations if their leader stayed out of the government.  

 

Shortly after this revelation, senior BJP leader Girish Mahajan visited Shinde at his residence, signalling a final push towards resolving the deadlock. Hours later, Samant announced that Shinde had agreed to take the oath.  

 

Unresolved portfolio distribution  

 

While Shinde’s participation in the cabinet is reportedly confirmed, the power-sharing arrangement between the BJP, Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) remains undecided. A senior Shiv Sena leader hinted that discussions on ministerial berths and portfolio allocation would continue over the next few days.  

 

“It has been decided that the three top leaders will take oath today. The power-sharing pact, including the number of ministers and portfolio distribution between the three parties, will be finalised in a couple of days,” the leader told The Hindustan Times.  

 

Swearing-in ceremony at Azad Maidan  

 

The highly anticipated swearing-in ceremony is set to take place at 5:30 pm today at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan. Devendra Fadnavis will be sworn in as chief minister, with Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar taking oath as his deputies.  

 

This marks a critical juncture in Maharashtra’s political landscape, as the tripartite alliance works to consolidate power while navigating internal differences. The ceremony will also set the tone for the alliance’s governance strategy and its handling of key portfolios.