Amid continued suspense over the CM face in Maharashtra, Eknath Shinde on Wednesday said that he has always worked “as a worker” and will abide by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision.

While addressing the media, Shinde said. “I have always worked as a worker. I never thought of myself as a Chief Minister. CM means Common Man, I worked by considering this…We should work for people. I have seen the pain of citizens, how they ran their household.”

“During my tenure, we worked to take Maharashtra to the Number 1 spot from Number 3 within six months of my becoming CM. I thank PM Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for supporting me during my tenure as Maharashtra CM. I called PM Modi, Amit Shah and told them to decide (on next CM) and assured them that I will abide by that decision,” Shinde said.

“I have told the Prime Minister that if there is any problem in forming the government in Maharashtra because of me, then do not bring any doubt in your mind and whatever decision you take, that decision is acceptable to me. You are the head of our family. The way people of BJP accept your decision, we will also accept your decision in the same way,” Shinde added, ANI reported.

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This briefing comes as Shinde faction MPs, including Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske, went to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Parliament.

With consensus eluding Mahayuti so far on the next Maharashtra Chief Minister, the leaders of the three parties – BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP – have been summoned to Delhi for a meeting with the BJP leadership to break the deadlock. Despite the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance securing a massive victory, winning 230 seats in the 288-member Assembly, the uncertainty over who will occupy the top post has raged on.

Since the results were announced on November 23, there have been conflicting voices within the coalition, with the BJP being “firm” on Devendra Fadnavis and the Shiv Sena pushing for Eknath Shinde as the next Chief Minister.

The BJP won 132 of the 288 Assembly seats in Maharashtra — just 12 short of securing a majority. Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena won 57 seats and Ajit Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party 41 seats.