Maharashtra Government Formation HIGHLIGHTS: Rebel Shiv Sena MLA Eknath Shinde on Thursday took oath as Maharashtra’s Chief Minister while BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis was sworn-in as the Deputy Chief Minister. In his first cabinet meeting, CM Eknath Shinde decided to overturn Uddhav Thackeray government’s crucial decision of stopping metro carshed construction inside the Aarey forest. Reacting to this, Thackeray, in his first public appearance since stepping down, requested the Shinde government with “folded hands” not to endanger the lives of wild animals. After chairing the first cabinet meet, Shinde left for Goa to meet with the rest of his rebel camp. He was greeted by Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant. Earlier, Shinde, after being named CM-designate, said that he would always be grateful for the support he received from all the rebel legislators and will never let them down.
After Devendra Fadnavis and Eknath Shinde staked claim to form the government at the Raj Bhavan, former Maharashtra Chief Minister Fadnavis declared that Shinde will be the new CM and he will be staying out of the government. However, in a dramatic turn of events, BJP’s central leadership has requested Devendra Fadnavis to be a part of the new government, and take the role of Deputy Chief Minister, announced BJP National President JP Nadda. Moments later, Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced that Fadnavis has accepted JP Nadda’s proposal and will join the Maharashtra government.
Earlier, Fadnavis said that BJP will be extending full support to the Eknath Shinde government as the newly-formed cabinet will have members from both BJP and Shinde’s Shiv Sena camp. In a joint-press conference, Fadnavis attacked the Shiv Sena for insulting the mandate given by the people back in 2019 and forming a post-poll alliance with “those who are against Hindutva & Savarkar.”
BJP has nominated Rahul Narvekar for the post of Speaker of the Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha. He has filed his nomination papers today. The elections for the Speaker will be held this Sunday.
NCP leader Dhananjay Munde met newly-appointed Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis hours after the swearing-in ceremony, a close aide of Munde said on Friday.
The meeting took place at Fadnavis's residence late Thursday night and lasted for about half an hour, he claimed.
Munde, who was minister for social justice in the previous Sena-NCP-Congress government, was originally with the BJP, but quit the party after falling out with his uncle and senior BJP leader late Gopinath Munde.
Munde is known to have a good rapport with Fadnavis. He is also known for being close to senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar. (PTI)
Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde will chair a meeting of the State disaster management department at 5 pm today in Mantralaya as Mumbai receives heavy rainfall of the Monsoon season. (ANI)
"Government will come and go, people will decide whether the move to replace the son of Balasaheb Thackeray with Eknath Shinde as the CM is acceptable. I don't know. Only time will tell," says Uddhav Thackeray.
"The manner in which Govt has been formed & a so-called Shiv Sena worker has been made CM, I had said the same to Amit Shah. This could've been done respectfully. The Shiv Sena was officially with you (at that time). This CM (Eknath Shinde) is not a Shiv Sena CM," said Uddhav Thackeray. (ANI)
"The wildlife in Aarey will be affected if you go ahead with the metro carshed construction. Please don't do that. The land belongs to the people. There should be balance between development and nature," says Thackeray.
"There's a CM who actually works & can go to any corner of the state. There's a Dy CM who didn't wonder how would he become the Dy, being an ex-CM. Both of them have such knowlegde & determination that if they come together, they can change Maharashtra," says rebel Shiv Sena MLA Deepak Kesarkar. (ANI)
"If BJP had kept their word, then the party would have a Chief Minister for at least two and half years. Now they won't have a CM face for 5 years," says Uddhav.
Flagging environmental concerns, Thackeray said, "With folded hands I request you not to build a metro carshed in the Aarey forests."
"If BJP had honored this agreement of sharing the CM seat with Shiv Sena, then the MVA alliance wouldn't have been formed. Why is BJP doing this right now? Rebel MLAs should ask this question," says Uddhav Thackeray
"It's raining heavily in Mumbai, there's flooding. So, he (CM Shinde) didn't wait with us. Otherwise, our rivals might say he's being a tourist here in Goa-even if he would've held imp discussion with us. CM going to Mumbai for meeting with Disaster Management team," said rebel Shiv Sena MLA Deepak Kesarkar.
Former Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray will be addressing the media at Sena Bhavan today. This is his first address after the new government was formed.
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Friday said a new government in Maharashtra under Eknath Shinde has been formed by the BJP with a group of MLAs that split the party, and asserted that the Sena is where the Thackerays are.
Taking a dig at Deputy Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, Raut said had the BJP stuck to its word in 2019, it could have had the CM's post for two-and-a-half years and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) experiment involving his party, the NCP and the Congress would not have taken place. What has the BJP achieved, Raut asked after Fadnavis took charge as the deputy chief minister. "We will try to expand our party under Uddhav Thackeray.
A group split from the Sena has formed the government with the BJP," Raut told reporters. He was responding to a question whether the new government under Eknath Shinde is a Shiv Sena-BJP government. Raut stressed that Shinde's move of splitting the Sena will not weaken the party. Springing a surprise, Fadnavis on Thursday announced that Eknath Shinde, who is leading the rebel Sena MLAs group, will be the chief minister. (PTI)
Special Session of Maharashtra Assembly to be held on July 3 & 4. On July 2 the nomination for Speaker's election will be filed, on July 3 Speaker's election will be held and on July 4 Vote of Confidence will be taken. (ANI)
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has said his elevation to the top post is due to the masterstroke by BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis. “People thought that the BJP was desperate for power. But truly, this is a masterstroke by Devendra ji.To hand over power to another person despite having larger numbers (of MLAs) requires a big heart. (PTI)
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal mentions the matter seeking urgent hearing of plea of Uddhav Thackeray camp MLA Sunil Prabhu seeking suspension of dissident Shiv Sena MLAs from the House and restraining them from entering Assembly or taking part in proceedings till their disqualification decided. (ANI)
SC to hear on July 11, along with other pleas, fresh plea of Uddhav Thackeray camp MLA Sunil Prabhu seeking suspension of dissident Shiv Sena MLAs from Maharashtra Assembly and restraining them from entering the House or taking part in proceedings till their disqualification decided. (ANI)
"I don't think our organisation ever weakened...Nobody is upset," Sanjay Raut told news agency ANI, a day after Eknath Shinde replaced Uddhav Thackeray as Maharashtra's CM.
Shiv Sena Chief Whip Sunil Prabhu moves Supreme Court seeking suspension from House, of Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde & 15 other MLAs against whom disqualification petitions are filed, till a final decision is taken on their disqualification. (ANI)
"My colleagues (rebel MLAs), all 50 of them - 40 plus 10 - they placed their faith in me. That's why Maharashtra has seen a day like this. They are most important and that is why after taking oath (as CM) I have come to meet them. It is because of them that one of Balasaheb's Shiv Sainiks has become the Chief Minister today," said Maharashtra CM Shinde after reaching Goa.
Eknath Shinde received a warm welcome from the other rebels camped at Goa hotel.
Ahead of his deposition before the ED in connection with the Patra Chawl Land Scam case, Sanjay Raut appealed to Sena workers not to gather outside the central agency's office.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Chouhan found Congress' move to send Kamal Nath to Goa 'strange.' Chouhan said that when Nath couldn't save his own government in MP, how could he save Maharashtra's government.
Former Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray congratulates Eknath Shinde and Devendra Fadnavis.
"I don't think that the one who led MLAs to Assam had expected more than the post of Dy CM. But in BJP, as per order- be it from Delhi or Nagpur - CM post has been given to Eknath Shinde...The person who was CM & LoP has been asked to take oath as Dy CM. It's shocking," said NCP supremo Sharad Pawar.
"It was being said that Devendra Fadnavis is upset with Dy CM post but I know him very well. He is so efficient that he works well on all posts. He is an asset to the state. If he's there in ministry to finish his incomplete dream projects, it'll be good," said Deepak Kesarkar, Shiv Sena
NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Thursday claimed that BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis did not appear to be happy while accepting the deputy chief minister's post in Eknath Shinde's government.
"I think Fadnavis has not accepted the number two position happily. His facial expression said it all," Pawar told reporters in Pune. "(But) He is from Nagpur and he has worked as a `swayamsevak' (with the RSS) and there, when an order comes, it has to be followed," the NCP chief said, adding that Fadnavis might have accepted a junior position due to this`sanskar' (values).
He also spoke about the alleged misuse of central agencies under the BJP government, claiming that he received letters from the Income Tax department regarding his election affidavits in 2004, 2009 and 2014. (PTI)
"A grassroots level leader, he brings with him rich political, legislative and administrative experience," PM Modi wrote on Eknath Shinde on Twitter.
The resignation of Thackeray (62) capped a week-long drama of resort politics, where rebel Shiv Sena MLAs led by minister Eknath Shinde camped in luxury hotels and hopped on chartered jets from Mumbai to Surat and Guwahati, before landing in the cool climes of Goa on Wednesday night. In a televised address shortly after 9.30 pm, Thackeray said he was hurt by the rebellion in his party and announced that he has also decided to quit as a member of the state Legislative Council.
The political tussle in Maharashtra entered a decisive phase on Wednesday when Koshyari ordered the state government to take a floor test in the Assembly on Thursday, a day after a BJP delegation met him and demanded a floor test claiming that the Sena-led government was in minority. Thackeray-led Shiv Sena's chief whip Sunil Prabhu then moved the Supreme Court against Governor Koshyari's direction. The top court, however, after a prolonged hearing, refused to order stay on the floor test, which was scheduled to be taken up at 11 am today.