BJP leader meets ‘unwell’ Eknath Shinde; Mahayuti likely to name Devendra Fadnavis as Maharashtra CM tomorrow

While the answer to the Maharashtra chief minister question is now deducible with Devendra Fadnavis’s being widely seen as the pick for the top post, members of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) continue to huddle in the run-up to the swearing-in ceremony of the new government in the state, slated to take place on December 5.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar on Monday flew to Delhi, while Eknath Shinde and Fadnavis remained in Mumbai, meeting workers and leaders of their parties amid pending confirmation over the pick for the next chief minister of Maharashtra. An official announcement of the CM name is expected on Wednesday, December 4.

Meanwhile, Eknath Shinde’s son Shrikant on Monday refuted speculation that he is a frontrunner for the post of deputy chief minister of the state, saying that he is “not in the race for any ministerial position in the state.”

Maharashtra govt formation | Latest developments

BJP appoints central observers: A day after a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader claimed that Devendra Fadnavis has been finalised for the post of Maharashtra chief minister, the party named Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani as central observers for its state legislature party’s meeting, where the MLAs will elect their leader for the top post.

CM, Dy CM suspense: In Maharashtra, BJP’s party’s two main allies in the Mahayuti alliance, the Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party, are each tipped to be given deputy CM positions in the new government. Eknath Shinde, who is the caretaker chief minister, has already made it clear that he will not come in the way of BJP getting the chief minster’s post. In the recently concludes state polls, the Mahayuti won 230 of the 288 assembly seats. The BJP led with 132 seats, while the Shiv Sena got 57 and NCP 41 seats.

Official announcement on Dec 4: The suspense over who will be Maharashtra’s new chief minister will end on December 4, when the state BJP legislature party elects its new leader, news agency PTI quoted a senior party functionary as saying on Monday. The meeting will be held Wednesday morning in Vidhan Bhawan, the party functionary said. BJP leader Girish Mahajan, who is considered close to Fadnavis, visited Eknath Shinde’s house in Maharashtra’s Thane Monday evening.

Shinde’s son rejects Dy CM buzz: Amid speculation that he is in contention for the post of deputy chief minister of Maharashtra, Eknath Shinde’s son Shrikant Shinde on Monday said he has “no desire for a position in power”, adding that he is not in the race for any ministerial position in the state. “Even after the Lok Sabha elections, I had a chance to become a minister in the central government. But thinking of working for the party organisation, I refused the ministerial post even then. I have no desire for a position in power. I make it clear once again that I am not in the race for any ministerial position in the state. I will work only for my Lok Sabha constituency and Shiv Sena,” said Shrikant Shinde, who represents the represents the Kalyan Lok Sabha constituency.

Ladki Bahin scheme grant to go up? BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar on Monday responded to a media report claiming that he had spoken of raising the Ladki Bahin scheme grant for women from ₹1,500 per month to ₹2,100 with effect from Bhaubeej next year. Mungantiwar said he had merely pointed out that it is the state cabinet which will decide on this issue.