Maharashtra: Eknath Shinde concedes, ball in BJP’s court

Caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde all but conceded his claim for the top job on Wednesday saying he left the decision to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah paving the way for the Bharatiya Janata Party to name its chief ministerial candidateDevendra Fadnavis is now the hot favourite for the post as party workers want the high command to reward the exCM for his performance in the elections and also make up for the partyrsquos decision to make him work as Dy CM in the Shinde government that was formed after the Shiv Sena split in 2022 On Wednesday afternoon Shinde said his party will abide by the call taken by Modi and Shah and support the new chief minister whoever it isFrom left Devendra Fadnavis Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar at a media briefing File PicShadab KhanHe said the Mahayuti leaders himself Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar will meet Shah in Delhi on Thursday to decide the future course of action The name of the new CM is expected to be announced after this meeting The state BJP has been waiting for all decks to be cleared before holding its Legislative Party meeting which will formally elect the leader who will also be the CMelect The CMelect will be endorsed by the alliance partners with a letter of support which along with BJPrsquos own list will be submitted to the governor who will invite him to form the governmentlsquoLadka BhaursquoldquoI have always worked as a common manrdquo said Shinde at a press conference held at his Thane residence ldquoWhen I was CM the people thought I was their brother not CM For me the identity of lsquoLadkya Bahinincha Ladka Bhaursquo referring to the cash benefit scheme for women that gave the Mahayuti an unbeatable advantage over the MVA is much more valuable than any other post I am content I donrsquot cry I fightrsquordquoFourday suspenseThus Shinde ended an impasse agreeing to go by the BJPrsquos wish four days after the massive mandate for Mahayuti The BJP Shiv Sena and NCP have together won numbers so big that none of their political rivals from the MVA has the strength to deserve the Leader of the Opposition post in the AssemblyChandrashekhar Bawankule senior BJP leader File PicSatej ShindeHowever there was no clarity from Shinde whether he would become a Dy CM in the new government or give the position to one of his party colleagues like his MP son Shrikant The second Dy CM will be from Ajit Pawarrsquos Nationalist Congress PartyDelhiboundSome observers said if Shinde does not take up the Dy CMrsquos job he may opt for a berth in the Union ministry or stay in Maharashtra to work fulltime as the Senarsquos chief lsquoMentorrsquoIn the Mahayuti the BJP has surpassed its 2014 tally in the house and with that bench strength the party has decided to install its representative as the CM Shinde and his party workers were reluctant to step down The Senarsquos show of strength did not go down well with the BJP high command which had clearly sent a message that Shinde wonrsquot continue in the CMOShinde who kept a studied silence for three days invited the media to his Thane residence on Wednesday He said he had telephonic conversations with PM Modi and Shah on Tuesday after which he decided to reach out to the media with his decisionldquoI have told them Modi and Shah over the phone that they should not think that I am an obstacle while they decide about the CM candidaterdquo he said ldquoldquoI am happy that I could work for the betterment of people in two and a half years We combined development with welfare and it was because of this combination that we were voted to power with such a big majority I was Mahayutirsquos CM The BJP supported me and Modi and Shah stood behind me rock solid It is time I supported themrdquoWhat nextIn a coordinated lsquoadvancersquo move the BJP also announced a press conference As Shindersquos event ended state BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule began his briefing in NagpurldquoI welcome Shindersquos decision and thank him for strengthening the Mahayuti He has demonstrated that our battle was not for the CMrsquos post but for the 12 crore people of Maharashtra On the other hand the MVA had many CM candidates The Congress had seven or eight The NCP SP had three and the Sena UBT had two ndash the father and sonrdquo he saidAccording to Bawankule Shinde will be the Mahayutirsquos main leader a pillar even in the days to come ldquoWe are proud of himrdquo said the BJP chief whose name has also cropped up as one of the probables for the CMrsquos post because of his Other Backward Castes OBC status But he has been supporting Fadnavis his party colleague for three decadesBawankule confirmed that Shinde Fadnavis and Pawar were scheduled to meet Amit Shah in Delhi on Thursday to discuss everything ndash the CMrsquos name and distribution of power number of ministerial berths portfolios and district guardian ministers each ally will getAnswer soon FadnavisTalking to reporters in Sambhaji Nagar before Shindersquos announcement Fadnavis said the talks of the CM candidate will be answered very soon He said there were no differences in Mahayuti and they had decided everything together before the electionsldquoThree parties will sit together and deciderdquo he said adding that the CMrsquos face will be decided first who in turn will submit the list of MLAs to the governor for government formation ldquoOur high command is in talks with the alliance partners We said that we will decide together after the elections We will meet our senior leaders in Delhi tomorrow and decide things Whatever people had in their minds Honorable Shinde has dispelled all doubts todayrdquoBy monthend PawarAjit Pawar said he had been invited to Delhi for the meeting with Shah on Thursday ldquoWe will meet tomorrow and after that a new government with a CM and two Dy CMs will be formedrdquo he said adding that the ceremony could be on November 30 or December 1 Pawar who is expected to continue as finance minister said ldquoThe Winter Session to be held in Nagpur is fast approaching We will have to approve supplementary demands There is a lot of work pressurerdquo