Maharashtra CM suspense grows, Eknath Shinde delays Mahayuti meeting, heads to native village

Maharashtra's caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who attended a key meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah late on Thursday, is now travelling to his native village, Dare, in the Satara district in western Maharashtra.

Shinde visited Delhi on Thursday to meet Amit Shah to discuss the formation of the next government in the state. His deputies in the outgoing state cabinet — Bharatiya Janata Party leader Devendra Fadnavis and Nationalist Congress Party chief Ajit Pawar — also met the senior BJP leader.

Talking to reporters in the national capital after the meeting, Shinde called the discussion “good and positive”. Shinde, Fadnavis and Pawar had also met BJP president JP Nadda.

Meanwhile, Shinde told The Hindu, "The talks were positive. Now, the BJP will first hold its meeting. Then, there will be a Mahayuti meeting."

Shinde returned to Mumbai early Friday.

Another key meet delayed

Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde said in Delhi late on Thursday night that the next meeting of the Mahayuti alliance on government formation will be held in Mumbai on Friday, news agency PTI reported.

However, sources told PTI that Shinde is travelling to his native village and the meeting is now expected to take place on Sunday.

Who will be the Maharashtra CM?

While BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis is expected to become the chief minister, a confirmation is awaited on the same. The fight for the CM post is between Fadnavis and Shinde.

The Shiv Sena leader has repeatedly said he would not be an obstacle in the government formation. He said at a press conference on Wednesday that he would accept and support the decisions taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the next chief minister.

Many leaders in the Shiv Sena are asking Shinde to accept deputy CM's post if offered by the BJP. "However, another section feels it wouldn't be right for him to accept No. 2 position after serving as CM for more than two-and-a-half years," the sources said.