Impasse Over Maharashtra CM Post Continues; Eknath Shinde Cancels Meet, Ajit Pawar Heads To Delhi For Talks

The impasse over selecting Maharashtra's next Chief Minister continued as caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde cancelled his meetings due to ill health, while NCP leader Ajit Pawar travelled to Delhi to meet senior BJP leaders regarding the formation of the new government.

Shinde, who was expected to attend a Mahayuti meeting to finalise portfolio allocations, is reportedly suffering from a throat infection and fever. He has been staying in his native village in Satara over the weekend due to his illness and has not returned to his official residence, 'Varsha'. The meeting is now expected to take place on Tuesday.

However, sources within the Shiv Sena indicated there were no formal plans for a Mahayuti meeting on Monday. They stated the party was awaiting a meeting scheduled by the BJP, which is the largest party in the alliance.

The Mahayuti coalition, comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar-led NCP, secured a decisive victory in the Maharashtra Assembly elections on November 20, winning 230 out of 288 seats. The BJP achieved a record 132 seats, while the Shiv Sena and NCP secured 57 and 41 seats, respectively. Speculation suggests that Devendra Fadnavis is the frontrunner for the Chief Minister's post, given the BJP's dominance in the Assembly.

In the meantime, Ajit Pawar departed for Delhi to discuss the government formation and portfolio distribution with BJP leadership.

Shrikant Shinde Denies Deputy CM Speculation

On the other hand, Eknath Shinde's son, Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde, dismissed reports suggesting he was being considered for the Deputy Chief Minister's position. Shrikant called such claims "baseless" and clarified that he was not seeking any ministerial role in the state.

In a statement on social media, Shrikant Shinde addressed the rumours, saying: "The swearing-in ceremony of the coalition government has been slightly delayed, leading to various speculations and rumours. Caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde took two days off to rest in his village due to ill health, which fuelled these rumours. The reports about me becoming the Deputy Chief Minister are entirely baseless."

He added that despite having had the opportunity to join the central government after the NDA's Lok Sabha victory, he had declined the offer to focus on party organisation.

"I have no desire for a position in power. I reiterate that I am not in the race for any ministerial role in the state," he said, affirming his commitment to serving his Lok Sabha constituency and the Shiv Sena.

Shinde Defers to BJP Leadership

Last week, Eknath Shinde stated that the decision on the next Chief Minister would be left to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP leadership. He assured that he would not obstruct discussions on selecting a candidate for the position.

Amidst ongoing uncertainty, Ajit Pawar affirmed that the Chief Minister's role would go to the BJP. Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule recently announced that the oath-taking ceremony for the new government is scheduled for December 5 in Mumbai.