Maharashtra's caretaker chief minister Eknath Shinde on Thursday said that another meeting of the Mahayuti leaders will take place in Mumbai to decide on the next Maharashtra CM. He said that Thursday's meeting was "good and positive" and there was a discussion with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national president JP Nadda.
Shinde, Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar met Amit Shah at his residence on Thursday late night in a bid to end the suspense over who would be Maharashtra chief minister after the NDA's thumping win in the assembly polls.
In this meeting, cabinet berth allocations were discussed, India Today TV reported citing sources. The distribution of portfolios is likely to follow a formula of one portfolio for every 6 MLAs.
While the BJP is eyeing 21-22 ministries, the Shiv Sena has sought to secure 10-12 portfolios. Ajit Pawar-led NCP is eyeing receive 8-9 ministries, as per sources.
The total number of ministerial positions in Maharashtra, including the CM, cannot go beyond 43. But why is the decision on Maharashtra CM stuck despite the BJP getting the highest number of seats in the assembly polls?
The central BJP leadership is reportedly considering the caste dynamics in Maharashtra before taking a final decision on the top post. With this, the CM race is now open for the OBC and Maratha leaders within the BJP.
Despite Shinde's press conference on Wednesday, many Shiv Sena leaders are pressing for continuing him as the CM. They cite the success of the Ladki Bahin scheme and his approach of taking governance to the citizens' doorsteps.
Shinde, however, told reporters on Wednesday that he wouldn't be an obstacle in government formation in the state, adding that he will abide by the decision of PM Modi and Shah. With this, all decks were cleared for the BJP to have its nominee for the top post in the state.
Fadnavis, a Brahmin, could become the CM if the writ of the RSS prevails. "If the writ of RSS prevails, the chances of Fadnavis becoming CM are bright," a source told news agency PTI. Devendra Fadnavis became Maharashtra CM in 2014 for the first time and briefly in 2019.
Staging a massive recovery from the Lok Sabha debacle, the Mahayuti won a resounding majority in the assembly polls. The BJP secured 132 seats, the Shinde Sena won 57 seats, and the NCP 41, taking the total tally to 230.
(With inputs from Sahil Joshi, Ritvick Arun Bhalekar, PTI)