The question of who will be the new Chief Minister of Maharashtra remains unresolved: Eknath Shinde or Devendra Fadnavis? In the recent assembly elections, BJP emerged as the largest party, securing 132 seats, which puts Devendra Fadnavis ahead in the race for Chief Minister.
However, significant developments have emerged regarding the Chief Minister’s post in the Mahayuti. Ajit Pawar and his MLAs have agreed to support Devendra Fadnavis for the role, as confirmed in a meeting held on Sunday. Despite this, MLAs from the Shinde camp are insisting on Eknath Shinde becoming the Chief Minister.
With the Maharashtra Assembly’s tenure ending on November 26, the government is urgently working to form a new administration. The MLA party in Mahayuti will meet today to elect their leader, and they will announce the new Chief Minister’s name after consulting with BJP’s high command.
Sources indicate that the government will follow the old formula: one Chief Minister and two Deputy Chief Ministers. Devendra Fadnavis seems set to become the Chief Minister, with no objections from Ajit Pawar’s camp. If Fadnavis takes the top post, Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar are expected to be appointed as Deputy Chief Ministers. The Mahayuti Ministry’s ministerial allocation follows a formula: one minister for every 6-7 MLAs. According to this, the BJP is likely to get 22-24 ministers, the Shinde group 10-12, and Ajit Pawar’s group 8-10 ministers.
The swearing-in ceremony will occur once the Chief Minister’s appointment is confirmed. Meanwhile, the Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction has demanded a 50-50 power-sharing formula, allowing Shinde to serve as Chief Minister for one and a half years. Shinde is expected to advocate for this formula in the upcoming meeting with BJP’s high command in Delhi.
The Mahayuti alliance won a total of 233 out of 288 assembly seats, with BJP securing the most seats at 132.