Maharashtra’s caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has canceled his appointments on Friday, fueling further speculation about the state’s political future. This move comes amid growing suspense over the selection of the Chief Minister from the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance. Shiv Sena spokesperson Manisha Kayande confirmed the development.
The uncertainty follows a key meeting in Delhi on Thursday between leaders of the three parties in the Mahayuti alliance — Eknath Shinde of Shiv Sena, Devendra Fadnavis of BJP, and Ajit Pawar of the NCP. The trio met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP National President JP Nadda to discuss power-sharing arrangements ahead of the new government formation.
A significant focus of the meeting was the allocation of Cabinet berths among the coalition parties, with discussions centered around the division of roles in the new administration. It is expected that the swearing-in ceremony for the new government will take place early next week.
Reports indicate that while the BJP will retain the Chief Minister’s position, Amit Shah has reportedly given the green light for the inclusion of two deputy chief ministers, one each from Shiv Sena and NCP.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Eknath Shinde described the talks as “good and positive.” However, he emphasized that the final decision on the Chief Minister’s post will be made in a subsequent meeting, which is likely to be held in Mumbai.”
The meeting was good and positive. This was the first meeting, and we discussed matters with Amit Shah and JP Nadda. There will be another meeting of the Mahayuti, where a decision will be made on who will be the Chief Minister,” Shinde said.
The suspense continues following the Maharashtra Assembly election results, announced on November 23. While the BJP emerged as the largest party with 132 seats in the 280-member Assembly, its allies — Shiv Sena, led by Shinde, and NCP, headed by Ajit Pawar — secured 57 and 41 seats, respectively. Despite the alliance’s majority, the final decision on leadership has yet to be finalized.
