Mumbai: Amid a prolonged standoff over the chief minister’s position in Maharashtra after the assembly elections, the BJP on Monday named Nirmala Sitharaman and Vijay Rupani as observers for selecting the party’s legislature leader. Earlier in the day, Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde dismissed speculation about being considered for the deputy chief minister’s post, clarifying that he is not seeking any ministerial role in the state.
“After elections results, formation of government is delayed a little and that is why so many rumours are floating around and one is that I am going to be the deputy chief minister in the new government. I want to tell everyone that this is completely baseless and false, there is no fact in this.”
“I had already a chance to become a minister in the Union Cabinet after Lok Sabha elections, but I chose to work for my party organisation and it is still like that, I have no desire for a position in power,” Shrikant Shinde posted on X.
Shrikant Shinde denies Deputy CM rumours
He added that he has no aspirations for any ministerial role in the state and is committed to serving his Lok Sabha constituency and the Shiv Sena. “I can understand the enthusiasm and competition of News media but at the same time, they should not turn their back on the facts. I hope that rumours about me. Will stop now,” he added.
Fadnavis leads race; Sena, NCP for deputy CM
Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule said that the swearing-in ceremony for the new Mahayuti government is scheduled for the evening of December 5 at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai. Ahead of the ceremony, BJP legislators will meet to choose their leader.
While no official confirmation has been made, former chief minister and outgoing deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis is widely regarded as a leading contender for the top post. The Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party, key allies of the BJP, are expected to secure the two deputy chief minister positions in the upcoming government.
