As preparations for the December 5 swearing-in of the new government took off at Azad Maidan, caretaker CM Eknath Shinde kept everyone guessing about his participation in the cabinet. It’s been ten days since Mahayuti won a landslide majority in the Maharashtra Assembly, but the power-sharing formula has not been sorted yet, mainly because of Shinde’s reluctance to take up the job other than the CM’s, which will go to the BJP this time around.

Unwell and tired, Shinde returned from his native village on Sunday, and continued to be treated for a viral infection on Monday. He cancelled the day’s engagements, but was likely to have a video conference with BJP’s most likely CM candidate, Devendra Fadnavis on Monday night. Mahayuti’s third partner, a sorted one, Ajit Pawar, had already left for New Delhi to meet BJP leaders. Going by their respective strength, BJP will get the most ministerial berths (and the CM’s post), followed by Shiv Sena (Dy CM) and NCP (Dy CM).