New Delhi: As Maharashtra gears up for a significant political transition, the anticipation surrounding the appointment of the next Chief Minister is palpable. With the oath-taking ceremony scheduled for December 5 in Mumbai, the Mahayuti coalition of parties is still deliberating over key cabinet positions, leaving many questions unanswered as the clock ticks down.
The BJP has confirmed that the ceremony will take place at Azad Maidan, graced by the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other prominent leaders. Despite this clarity on the event, the identity of the new Chief Minister remains shrouded in speculation. A crucial legislative meeting is set for December 4 at 10 am at Maharashtra Vidhan Bhavan, where party insiders expect a formal announcement regarding their CM candidate. This comes after a decisive victory over the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in recent elections.
According to sources within the BJP, Devendra Fadnavis has emerged as the frontrunner for the Chief Minister position. The two-time CM’s leadership is viewed as a stabilising force following the Mahayuti’s overwhelming success. Meanwhile, current caretaker CM Eknath Shinde is anticipated to assume the role of Deputy Chief Minister.
In a parallel development, NCP leader Ajit Pawar has travelled to Delhi to engage in discussions with BJP leaders about government formation and cabinet allocations. Reports indicate that Pawar is set to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the second time in a week, for critical negotiations regarding the distribution of ministries, with both parties vying for key roles—Shinde pushing for control over the home ministry and NCP advocating for finance.
Initial meetings between Shinde, Pawar and Fadnavis were postponed due to Shinde’s health concerns, although he reassured party members that discussions would resume shortly. After the meeting cancellation on Monday, Fadnavis called Shinde to check on his health. As the dust of the power-sharing is yet to settle, there are also rumours about Shinde’s son, Shrikant, potentially stepping into a deputy role, which Shrikant has publicly denied.
In a post on X, Shrikant Shinde claimed that he had the chance of becoming a Union Cabinet minister after the recent Lok Sabha polls. He stated that he denied the offer as he wanted to focus on his party organisation and his constituency. “I have no desire for a position of power. I make it clear once again that I am not in the race for any ministerial position in the state,” he said asking the media to avoid “distorting facts”.
In preparation for the legislative meeting, the BJP has appointed Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and former Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani as central observers. Rupani is expected to arrive in Mumbai today, while Sitharaman will join on Wednesday.
“The party has informed about sending both of us to Maharashtra as observers, we are going as observers for the process of selecting the party leader in Maharashtra. The central office will tell when the parliamentary party meeting will be held there, we will go there and meet everyone, then whatever happens we will tell the high command and then the leader will be elected,” Rupani told news agency ANI.
