Fadnavis's masterstroke: Eknath Shinde to be next Maharashtra CM, move corners Thackeray further

In a move that stunned political pundits and potentially checkmated the Shiv Sena, BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday announced that rebel Sena leader Eknath Shinde will be the next Chief Minister of Maharashtra.

Talking to reporters after meeting Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari along with Shinde at Raj Bhavan, Fadnavis said some rebel Sena MLAs, BJP legislators as well as Independents will be inducted during the cabinet expansion later. The BJP's decision not to take the top post comes as a counter to Sena president Uddhav Thackeray's question if the rebel MLAs would ensure that a Shiv Sena worker would be the next chief minister.

He was ready to quit if the Shinde faction could ensure that a `Shiv Sainik' would be the next chief minister, Thackeray had said while battling the rebellion by majority of party MLAs which began more than a week ago.

Shinde (58), MLA from Kopri-Panchpakhadi in neighbouring Thane city, a Shiv Sena bastion, started out as a grassroots Sena worker, and rose to become the most senior Sena minister in the Uddhav Thackeray government where he handled the urban development portfolio.

''I will not betray the faith Fadnavis has placed in me,'' Shinde told reporters. He tweeted later that he was committed to ''Maharashtra's overall development,'' and his appointment as CM was a ''victory'' of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray's ideology and his mentor late ''Dharmaveer'' Anand Dighe's teachings. ''I will be out of government but will ensure smooth functioning of the government which is coming as an alternative after Uddhav Thackeray resigned,'' Fadnavis said at the press conference.

He said this was not a battle for power but for principles and Hindutva ideology. ''BJP is against imposing elections on the state,'' he said.

Fadnavis also claimed that there was unrest in the Shiv Sena ranks as the party's alliance with Congress and the NCP was ''insult of the mandate of 2019.'' ''Uddhav Thackeray aligned with the parties whom Bal Thackeray had opposed all his life,'' he said. The Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance was ''corrupt'' and two ministers of that government are in jail for corruption and money laundering charges, the BJP leader said.

Shiv Sena MLAs were facing problems in their constituencies as the MVA allies were hurting their prospects, Fadnavis said.

Congress and NCP leaders in the constituencies of Shiv Sena leaders were being given government funds, he claimed.

Speaking later, Shinde said he took the decision (to rebel against the MVA government) with the support of 50 MLAs for the development of the state, and ''there was no personal interest involved.'' ''There were limitations to (a minister's) functioning in the MVA,'' he said, adding that development was his only agenda.

Shinde also lauded Fadnavis for giving up the opportunity to become CM, saying the BJP leader showed large-heartedness in making ''Balasaheb Thackeray's Shiv Sainik'' the next CM.

When 50 MLAs take a decision (to rebel), it calls for introspection, he said, without naming Uddhav Thackeray.

He also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for giving him the opportunity to serve as chief minister.

He has the support of 50 MLAs including some legislators of small parties and Independents, Shinde claimed, adding, ''More will join.'' Earlier, the Shinde faction had claimed to have the support of 39 out of 55 Shiv Sena MLAs besides others. Sena president Uddhav Thackeray resigned as chief minister on Wednesday evening after the Supreme Court refused to stay the floor test ordered by the governor.