Mahayuti leaders meeting today: Fadnavis or Shinde -- who will become Maharashtra CM? Decision soon

As suspense continues to linger over who'll be the next Maharashtra Chief Minister, the meeting between Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Mahayuti leaders will take place at 5:30pm. Shiv Sena chief and caretaker Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde will reach Delhi at around 4:30 pm, India Today reported citing sources. 

NCP chief Ajit Pawar told reporters that the new Chief Minister will likely be sworn in on November 30 or December 1. Pawar added there will be 2 deputy CMs in the new government. 

Senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis is being billed as the top favourite for the position, with the backing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Ajit Pawar-led NCP. On Wednesday, Shinde said at a press conference that he left the decision on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP's top brass. 

He added that he spoke to PM Modi, assuring the latter of his full support in forming the Maharashtra government. 

Besides this, 5 independents and legislators of smaller parties are also supporting Fadnavis. The MLAs of smaller parties who support Fadnavis include Vinay Kore Savkar of the Jana Surajya Party, which has two MLAs, and Ratnakar Gutte of the Rashtriya Samaj Paksha (RSP). 

Moreover, a section of Maharashtra's bureaucracy is also backing Fadnavis for the top job due to his record as a capable administrator. 

Despite Fadnavis having strong backing, BJP's central leadership is concerned about the Maratha community getting hurt if a non-Maratha CM is appointed in Maharashtra. Discussions also took place over retaining the Maratha votes if Fadnavis is appointed CM. 

Ahead of the discussions in Delhi, Shinde Sena leader Shaina NC claimed that Eknath Shinde was the "natural choice" to become the next CM. Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies, however, have condemned the Mahayuti over the delay in announcing the CM's name. 

Attacking Shinde, Raut said: "He takes the name of Balasaheb Thackeray and does politics in the name of Shiv Sena but their decisions are taken in Delhi. The future of Balasaheb Thackeray's Shiv Sena was never decided in Delhi, it was decided in Mumbai."

He further said that when Bal Thackeray was there, advice was taken from Atal Bihari Vajpayee and LK Advani but the Shiv Sena never went to Delhi and begged in front of them. 

Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Sanjay Raut questioned the Mahayuti over why it is not able to announce the CM's name even after getting full majority. He also asked why PM Modi and Amit Shah cannot decide who will become the CM. 

Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar made a prophecy regarding the BJP's position in the 2029 Maharashtra assembly elections. Wadettiwar claimed that the BJP will be left alone in 2029. 

"Ajit Pawar will retire from the position of Deputy CM. His dream will never come true. Eknath Shinde's party won't be in power. Their current value of 50 per cent will be reduced to 10 per cent."