Mahayuti leaders in huddle with Amit Shah for Maharashtra power-sharing pact

Maharashtra Chief Minister CM Eknath Shinde along with his deputies Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi on Thursday night to discuss a powersharing agreement in the state The Bharatiya Janata Party BJPled Mahayuti alliance had secured a landslide victory in the state assembly electionsFadnavis a former CM under whom the BJP crossed the 100seat mark for the third consecutive time in the 288member state assembly is seen as the frontrunner for the top executive position in MaharashtraMaharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar stated that a decision regarding ministerial positions for the Mahayuti alliance partners ndash BJP Shiv Sena and NCP ndash would be made during Thursday nights meeting with ShahThe alliance leaders also indicated that a new government could be in place in Maharashtra latest by December 2Shinde travelled to the national capital with senior party leaders Uday Samant and Shambhuraj Desai Earlier Fadnavis had met Pawar at the residence of NCP leader Sunil TatkareOutgoing CM Shinde had a separate meeting with Shah ahead of the Mahayuti coalitions discussions Arriving from Mumbai Shinde drove straight to Shahs residence on Krishna Menon Marg where BJP president Jagat Prakash Nadda was already present news agency PTI reportedWill abide by PM Modi Amit Shahs decisionSpeaking to reporters Shinde confirmed that he would not be an obstacle to the formation of the new government in the state and would abide by the decision made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah This paved the way for BJP to nominate its candidate for the next CM of MaharashtraldquoThis lsquoladka bhau beloved brother has arrived in Delhi and the lsquoladka bhaursquo designation is higher than anything else for merdquo Shinde remarkedPolitical speculation is rife regarding the central BJP leadershiprsquos consideration of social equations in Maharashtra before making a decision on the CMs positionThis opens up the race for the role among BJP leaders from the Other Backward Classes OBC and Maratha communitiesShiv Sena leaders are advocating for Shinde to remain as CM pointing to the success of the lsquoLadki Bahinrsquo initiative and his approach to bringing governance directly to the peopleCaste dynamics have played a significant role in the debate over the chief ministerial post with a large proportion of the 288 Members of the Legislative Assembly MLA from the Maratha communityShinde unlikely to accept Deputy CMs roleFadnavis a Brahmin first became Maharashtrarsquos CM in 2014 and briefly in 2019 If the writ of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh RSS prevails the chances of Fadnavis becoming CM are bright a source suggested according to PTIA close aide of Shinde indicated that the caretaker CM is unlikely to accept the post of a deputy in the new government However Shiv Sena Spokesperson Sanjay Shirsat stated that Shinde would remain in the cabinet though he would not take up the deputy CM position It does not befit someone who has already served as chief minister Shirsat told PTI He added that Shiv Sena would nominate another leader for the deputy CMs roleShindersquos son Shrikant who is a Member of Parliament MP earlier expressed pride in his father for exemplifying alliance dharma by prioritising collective governance over personal ambitionThe BJPled Mahayuti alliance achieved a remarkable victory in the recent assembly elections winning 230 seats in the 288member House Recovering from its losses in the Lok Sabha elections the BJP won 132 seats the most among the Mahayuti alliance partners Shindes Shiv Sena secured 57 seats while Pawars NCP won 41The Congressled Maha Vikas Aghadi MVA suffered a significant setback with the party securing just 16 seats NCP Sharadchandra Pawar winning 10 seats and Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray securing only 20 seatsThe Maharashtra assembly elections were held on November 20 with results declared three days laterOn Tuesday Shinde submitted his resignation as CM to Governor CP Radhakrishnan The governor asked Shinde to continue as caretaker CM until the formation of a new governmentWith PTI inputs