Mahayuti allies go into huddle to pick Maharashtra CM, oath-taking likely on Monday

After clinching a historic victory in Maharashtra, allies of the ruling coalition — BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP — got into a huddle to elect their respective leaders ahead of the selection of chief minister.

On Sunday, the BJP MLAs met state unit chief Chandrakant Bawankule, who is likely to address the press later.

NCP MLAs also met and elected Ajit Pawar the leader of the legislative Assembly, while Shiv Sena legislators elected Chief Minister Eknath Shinde their leader.

Later on Sunday, all allies will sit together and elect the leader of the NDA in Maharashtra Assembly.

Sources said oath-taking of the new government will likely take place on Monday as the new Assembly must be constituted before November 26, when the term of the state Assembly is to expire.

The allies are likely to continue with the existing arrangement — CM and two deputy CMs with Eknath Shinde, the prominent Maratha leader, still in active contention.

It remains to be seen if the BJP, which has earned the right to have its own CM having won 90 per cent seats it contested and almost reaching the simple majority of 145 in a 288-member Assembly on its own, will put coalition dharma above electoral arithmetic to retain Shinde as CM.

BJP won 132 of the 149 seats it fought.

However, the BJP might pull off a surprise in Maharashtra by allowing the winning status quo to continue and go for a change later sometime.

From the BJP, deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis is a hot favourite whom Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed as “mere param mitra” in his victory speech on Saturday.

Meanwhile, in Jharkhand, INDIA allies have elected Hemant Soren as the legislative party leader. He will stake claim to form the government later on Sunday.

Negotiations are under way for cabinet formation in the state with the Congress learnt to have sought four berths.