Eknath Shinde resigns, Devendra Fadnavis leads race to be Maharashtra CM

Three days Maharashtra gave a clear verdict, the suspense over the next chief minister continued to hang heavy in the air on Tuesday, the day when Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde stepped down and took charge as a caretaker chief minister (CM) of the state. The term of the Maharashtra Assembly expired on Tuesday.

 

Sources in Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said that Devendra Fadnavis remained the frontrunner to succeed Shinde, given the saffron party’s better performance in the assembly polls.

 

The BJP, according to sources, is working on a formula where Fadnavis will be the new CM. While Shinde and Nationalist Congress Party’s (NCP’s) Ajit Pawar will be the two deputy CMs. Shinde will also head a coordination committee of the alliance.

 

Meanwhile in Delhi, Union minister Ramdas Athawale said the BJP leadership has decided to make Fadnavis as the CM. However, the Shiv Sena is insistent that Shinde should continue in the post as the assembly elections were fought and won under his leadership.

 

Chhagan Bhujbal, a senior leader of the Pawar-led NCP, recently said that Fadnavis was acceptable to them.

 

Sources said the BJP will appoint observers to visit Mumbai to meet party legislators, and leaders of its alliance partners, to finalise the sharing of ministerial portfolios in the new government, and subsequently announce the name of the CM.

 

According to a PTI report from Mumbai, Shinde and Fadnavis were together early Tuesday morning at an event in the Mumbai police commissioner’s office to pay tributes to martyrs of the 26/11 terror attack, but hardly exchanged a word.

 

The ruling Mahayuti coalition won 230 out of 288 seats, with the BJP turning in its best ever performance in the state, winning 132 seats followed by the Shinde-led Shiv Sena with 57 and Pawar led-NCP with 41 seats.