BJP not to announce Maha CM candidate until portfolio allocation finalised

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would not rush into announcing its chief ministerial candidate until the distribution of portfolios in the new Maharashtra government is finalised, party sources said on Tuesday.

The indications that the Mahayuti coalition's decision on who would become the next CM would be delayed emerged as the Governor on Tuesday morning asked Eknath Shinde to act as a caretaker chief minister after he tendered his resignation. Despite the BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP combine's landslide victory in the assembly elections, there is no consensus among the allies on who would occupy the top post.

"The central leadership is in no hurry to name a candidate for the chief minister's post. We have secured a decisive mandate, and the priority now is to work out a comprehensive plan for government formation. That includes finalising ministerial portfolios and distribution of key posts such as district guardian ministers," a state BJP leader told PTI while requesting anonymity.

The careful approach stems from the desire to avoid friction among the coalition partners, he said.

Elaborating, another BJP insider cited the case of Mahendra Thorave, an MLA from Raigad district who had opposed the appointment of NCP's Aditi Tatkare as district guardian minister earlier this year, owing to the long-standing local rivalry.

"We want to address such issues now, ensuring that everyone is on the same page before moving forward," he said.

The BJP won 132 seats, Shiv Sena 57, and the NCP 41 in the November 20 elections. The results were announced on November 23. With the state's 288-member assembly, a Maharashtra cabinet can have a maximum of 43 ministers, both cabinet and junior. There are 36 districts, and for a chief minister it becomes imperative that each of them gets representation.

"With the ongoing parliamentary session, the central leadership is stretched thin, holding meetings with both Maharashtra BJP leaders and allies while also handling floor management in Parliament," a party leader noted.

As for the announcement of the chief minister candidate, the source said, "The BJP central body will appoint an observer or a team of observers who will visit Mumbai. They will meet the MLAs and senior party functionaries to finalise the cabinet formula. Once that is done, they will announce the party's choice for the leader of the legislative wing."  While Devendra Fadnavis, a former chief minister who was virtually the BJP's face during the campaign, is the frontrunner for the top post following his party's spectacular electoral performance, Shiv Sena leaders have said they would like Eknath Shinde to continue, indicating that the Sena has not ceded its claim. Ajit Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party, the third player in the coalition, is yet to open its cards, though Chhagan Bhujbal, a senior leader of the party, publicly stated recently that Fadnavis was acceptable to them. "This has strengthened the calls from several BJP leaders, including newly-elected MLAs, that Fadnavis should be the next CM," said the source. However, the BJP remains cautious, as the final decision will not be made until all aspects of cabinet distribution are worked out. "There is no rush. Once the cabinet formula is finalised, we will announce the candidate," said the BJP leader.