THANE/MUMBAI/NASHIK: Outgoing CM Eknath Shinde on Wednesday said the power-sharing formula would be concluded after a meeting between him, BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis and NCP chief Ajit Pawar in New Delhi Thursday.
Addressing a press conference at his home in Thane, Shinde said, “I spoke with Modiji and Amit bhai on Tuesday and conveyed to them to not consider me as an obstacle while deciding the next Maharashtra CM… They are the senior-most leaders in NDA and Mahayuti and their decision will be considered final for us.” He was flanked by some of his MLAs including Pratap Sarnaik and Dada Bhuse.
Asked if he was disappointed that he would not get a second term, Shinde said, “There is no such thing. You must remember BJP supported my tenure as CM.” Asked who the deputy chief ministers would be in the new cabinet, he said, “There is a meeting in Delhi tomorrow with Amit bhai (Shah) and all related decisions will be taken there.”
Reacting to Shinde’s announcement, Fadnavis said, “We have always been together. There are no differences in the Mahayuti. Even before the elections, I had said all decisions will be taken together. Today, Eknath Shinde has cleared all doubts. Soon we shall sit with our leaders and take a decision.”
The camaraderie followed uncertainty over leadership of the coalition, with the BJP brass sitting tight over repeated suggestions from the Shinde faction that he deserved to be continued after leading Mahayuti to a landslide in which Ladki Bahin Yojana, his idea, played key role. BJP, which finished just 13 short of the majority mark of 145 and had its hand further strengthened both because of the support of Ajit Pawar’s NCP and the “silent ” supporters in Sena (Shinde), cold shouldered the reminder.
It was not clear whether Shinde would agree to be deputy CM under Fadnavis. BJP, on its part, is expected to urge him to join a Fadnavis govt by citing the need to project unity and by reminding that the BJP leader had agreed to serve under Shinde despite having served as CM for a full five years.
In case he declines, there were indications of Sena nominating one of its three senior functionaries – Dada Bhuse, Sabhuraj Desai or Sanjay Shirsat. While both Bhuse and Desai hail from the Maratha community, Shirsat is a Dalit. “Since NCP’s Ajit Pawar, set to be the other deputy CM, is from Maratha community, Sena might opt for Shirsat as an overture to the SC community,” a source said.