Efforts to form government in Maharashtra intensify

Efforts to form government in Maharashtra intensify, meeting begins at Amit Shah's residence; Eknath Shinde, Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar present

The meeting has started at the residence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah regarding the formation of the Maharashtra government. Mahayuti alliance leaders Devendra Fadnavis, Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar have reached New Delhi for important discussions with senior BJP leaders in the meeting. It is expected that the central leadership of BJP including Amit Shah will finalize the decision on the next Chief Minister during these meetings.

Online Desk, New Delhi. The meeting has started at the residence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah regarding the formation of the Maharashtra government. Mahayuti alliance leaders Devendra Fadnavis, Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar have reached New Delhi for important discussions with senior BJP leaders in the meeting. It is expected that the central leadership of BJP including Amit Shah will finalize the decision on the next Chief Minister during these meetings.

Eknath Shinde reached Delhi

Shiv Sena MPs welcomed Maharashtra's acting CM and party chief Eknath Shinde on his arrival in Delhi. Meanwhile, BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis and NCP chief Ajit Pawar have reached the residence of Home Minister Amit Shah.

Mahayuti has got a huge majority

Despite the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance getting a majority in the Maharashtra assembly elections, it has not yet been decided who will be the Chief Minister. The BJP emerged as the largest party with 132 seats in the 280-member Maharashtra Assembly, while its allies - Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena won 57 and Ajit Pawar-led NCP won 41 seats.

Eknath Shinde had said- we will accept PM Modi's decision

Eknath Shinde, who arrived from Mumbai, went straight to Amit Shah's residence at Krishna Menon Marg, where BJP President JP Nadda was already present. BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis and NCP chief Ajit Pawar have reached the residence of Home Minister Amit Shah. Earlier, Eknath Shinde said that he would not obstruct the formation of government in the state and would follow the decision taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah.

Sources said the meeting has assumed significance as there have been reports that the BJP leadership is considering the names of some of its Maratha leaders despite the perception that Fadnavis is certain to become chief minister for the third time.Caste equations are going to play a big role in the selection of the Chief Minister, because most of the 288 MLAs of all parties are from the Maratha community. Fadnavis belongs to the Brahmin community and became the Chief Minister for the first time in 2014 and then again for some time in 2019.

Sources have said that if RSS has its way, there is a strong possibility of Fadnavis becoming the Chief Minister. The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance won 230 seats in the 288-member House in the state assembly elections. The opposition Mahavikas Aghadi (MVA) was reduced to 46 seats. BJP won 132 seats, Shiv Sena 57 and NCP 41 seats. Shiv Sena (UBT), which is part of MVA, won 20 seats, Congress 16 and Sharad Pawar's NCP won 10 seats.

There is little chance of Shinde accepting the post of deputy chief minister

A close aide of Shinde said on Thursday that the caretaker chief minister is unlikely to accept the post of deputy chief minister in the new government. Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Shirshat, however, said Shinde may join the Cabinet. He may not want to become deputy chief minister.