“There Will Be No Problem…”: What Eknath Shinde Said About Chief Ministership
As the Mahayuti alliance partners are in heavy parley for choosing the Maharashtra chief minister, caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has come up with a clarification on his stance on the deadlock. While informing that he has made phone calls to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah yesterday, Mr Shinde said that there will be no problem in forming the government in Maharashtra because of him. He also added that Prime Minister is the ‘head of the family’, and Shiv Sena will accept the decision as BJP workers accept the PM’s decisions.
“I have told the Prime Minister that if there is any problem in forming the government in Maharashtra because of me, then do not bring any doubt in your mind and whatever decision you take, that decision is acceptable to me. You are the head of our family. The way people of BJP accept your decision, we will also accept your decision in the same way. I made a phone call to PM Modi and HM Amit Shah yesterday and told them that there will be no problem in forming the government because of me,” Shinde told news agency ANI.
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Amid uncertainty over Maharashtra’s next Chief Minister following the BJP-led Mahayuti’s decisive Assembly election victory, debates continue among alliance partners BJP, Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar-led NCP. The coalition secured 230 out of 288 seats, with BJP winning 132, Shiv Sena 57, and NCP 41.
Shiv Sena has strongly advocated for Eknath Shinde’s return as Chief Minister, asserting that the election was fought in his name. “Shinde will not accept the Deputy CM post,” said Sena leader Sanjay Shirsat. Meanwhile, the BJP is pushing for Devendra Fadnavis to lead the government.
Union Minister and Republican Party leader Ram Athawale has suggested that Shinde move to the Centre while Fadnavis assumes the Chief Minister role. Shirsat dismissed this argument as well. “Let him focus on central politics; Maharashtra is our concern,” he said.
Sources had claimed a pre-election agreement guaranteed Shinde the top post if the coalition won. BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar dismissed reports of a rift, stating, “The decision will come soon after deliberations with senior leaders.”
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Deputy Chief Minister Fadnavis avoided confirming his role, stating only that the final decision would be revealed shortly. Despite differing positions, leaders have pledged unity, emphasizing the coalition’s strength in forming a stable government.
In the past government, which was formed after Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena MLAs broke away from the Uddhav Thackeray’s government, Shinde was chief minister and Fadnavis and NCP’s Ajit Pawar were the deputy chief ministers.
