The Chief Minister race in Maharashtra has clouded Mahayuti's massive win in the assembly elections as the Shiv Sena and Bharatiya Janata Party supporters are divided over choosing Eknath Shinde and Devendra Fadna🍸vis as the next CM.
The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance secured 230 seats in the 288-member assembly with BJP bagging 132 of them and Shiv Sena a🅺nd NCP getting 57 and 41 seats respectively.
Shinde’s supporters are batting for his second term as CM claiming the landslide win was achieved under his leadership. Meanwhile, the leaders of the BJP are arguing that the party's highest-ever tally in the state assembly elections should make way for Deputy CM Deve🔯ndra Fadnavis to take oath as the CM this time.
Eknath Shinde Resigns As Chief Minister, To Act As Caretaker CM
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Tuesday mor𒁃ning met Governor C P Radhakrishnan an﷽d tendered his resignation as the term of the Maharashtra assembly ends on November 26.
The governor asked Shinde to act🐻 as𓆏 a caretaker chief minister till a new CM is sworn in.
Shinde visited the Raj B🔯havan along with deputy Chief Minister♛s Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar.
"Out Of Love For Me...": CM Shinde Asks People To Refrain From Assembling Outside His Residence
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Tuesday asked supporters not to throng his official residence ‘Varsha’ in south Mumbai to pitch for his ဣcontinuation as C꧋M.
"After the great victory of the Mahayuti alliance, our govꦡernment will be formed once again in the state. As a grand alliance, we contested the election together and are still together today,” Shinde said on X, asking his supporters not to assemble outside the Varsha bungalow, or any other location in his support.
“Out of love for me, some people have appealed to everyone to gather together and come to Mumb🐓ai. I am deeply grateful fܫor your love. But I appeal that no one should come together in my support in such a manner," Shinde wrote.
Several Shiv Sainiks also organised prayer meets in temples in Thane on November 25 to ensur𝔍e Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde gets a second term on the top post.
Devendra Fadnavis In Delhi
Senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis, seen as a front-runner for the chief miꦉnister's post, arrived in the national capital late Monday. As per speculations in reports, he went there last night for meetings wꦅith top party leaders.
Fadnavis also happened to attend the wedding reception of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla's daughter Anjali at a hotel there. Maharashtra Assembl🧸y Speaker Rahul Narwekar was also present along with Fadnavis.
According to PTI report, Fadnavis is likely to meet Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP Pr๊esident J♔ P Nadda to discuss the modalities of the formation of the next government in Mahrashtra.
But an NDTV report said that Fadnavis has denie🧔d the rumours as he reportedly said that "no meeting on the matter has been planned" and he was in the national capital only to attend the😼 wedding.
Fadnavis on Saturday denied any disꦏpute over the CM's post, saying leaders of the Mahayuti will decide on the issue.
What Are Mahayuti Leaders Saying ?
Shiv Sena spokesperson Naresh Mhaske cited the “Bihar model” to assert th💝at S⛎hinde should continue as the chief minister.
"We feel Shinde should be the chief minister, just like in Bihar where BJP did no💯t look at the numbers but still made JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar the CM. Senior leaders of the Mahayuti (in Maharashtra) will ultimatel🎀y take a decision," Mhaske told reporters on Monday.
Mhaske also compared the situation to the leadership dynamics in Haryana, where the BJP contested the assembly elections recently under ﷺNayab Singh Saini's leadership.
BJP 🧜leader Darekar, however, dismissed Mhaske's comments, suggesting it could be his personal opinion rather than the party's stand.
"People have given mandate to Devendr🐬a Fadnavis. 🌳The people of Maharashtra stood behind Prime Minister Narendra Modi," he said.
"In my opinion, Fadnavis should become the chief minister. Maharashtra needs an astute and academic leader. He kept the alliance united, gave our allies candidates, and even stepped back when required. He has always maintai🌳ned coordination," Darekar said.
Ajit Pawar Is Not In CM Race, Says NCP Leader
Nationalist Congress Party Maharashtra chꩵief Sunil Tatkare has confirmed to the media that the party chief Ajit Pawar has decided not to stake claim to the Maharashtra chief minister’s post.
Tatkare spoke to The Indian Expre🤡ss and said, “No, Ajit Pawar is not in the race for the chief ministerial post.▨"
Thi🔯s comes amid the high drama that ensued in the state since the assembly results were declared the the Mahyuti alliance had a landslide victorꦬy.
