Union Home Minister Amit Shah is set to meet with leaders of the Mahayuti alliance in New Delhi on Thursday to discuss the formation of the new Maharashtra government. The key agenda of the meeting will be the selection of the Chief Minister (CM) and the allocation of Cabinet positions, The Indian Express reported. After the BJP-led alliance won a resounding victory in the recent state elections, tensions arose between the alliance partners, particularly regarding the CM post.
Battle for Maharashtra CM post
After the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance won a decisive victory in the Maharashtra Assembly elections 2024, securing 230 out of 288 seats, key ally Shiv Sena, had pushed for its leader Eknath Shinde to become the state CM. However, on Wednesday, Shinde announced that Shiv Sena would fully support the decision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah regarding the next CM, stating there would be no objections from their side.
Meanwhile, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), led by Ajit Pawar, also pledged support to the BJP, backing Devendra Fadnavis as the new CM. Fadnavis, who has the backing of the BJP, was the largest individual vote-getter in the election, securing 132 seats.
Ahead of a critical meeting earlier in New Delhi, Fadnavis said that discussions on the CM candidate and the allocation of ministerial positions would be finalised. The Indian Express sources indicated that the BJP is expected to take a larger share of Cabinet positions, potentially holding 21 out of the 43 available ministerial posts.
Fadnavis vs Shinde: Decision on swearing-in date likely on Thursday
The BJP’s strong mandate has made Fadnavis the uncontested choice for CM, according to party leaders. Additionally, the BJP is planning a grand swearing-in ceremony to signal its dominant position in the state. The final details regarding the event and the swearing-in date are expected to be confirmed on Thursday, reported IE.