Shinde visits hospital ahead of BJP legislature party meeting

As the BJP geared up for the election of legislature party leader on Wednesday, caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde made a hospital visit for medical check-ups and said he was feeling better now.

After the hospital visit in Thane, Shinde arrived in Mumbai today even as the preparations for the December 5 swearing-in of the state government were in full swing at Azad Maidan.

Doctors attending to Shinde in Thane said he underwent an MRI as a precautionary measure.

The Shiv Sena chief has been absent from Mumbai ever since he returned from Delhi after a meeting with Home Minister Amit Shah on government formation and CM-ship issue.

Shinde has been seeking the CM's post for himself although he has publicly stated that the decision of the BJP top brass would be acceptable to him.

Another partner in the Mahayuti in Maharashtra, RPI, today said Shinde was upset at not being made CM.

RPI chief and minister Ramdas Athawale said Shinde was upset at being offered the deputy CM's post but he should accept the same as Devendra Fadnavis also agreed to be a deputy after being CM.

Taking a dig at the continuing absence of Shinde from power-sharing talks (a meeting of NDA partners had to be cancelled after Shinde left for his native village in Satara), Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said Eknath Shinde was throwing tantrums at Fadnavis with the backing of a "superpower in Delhi." Raut's reference was to top BJP brass.

Meanwhile, the meeting of 132 BJP MLAs to elect the legislature party leader, who will potentially be chief minister, will be held in Mumbai on Wednesday in the presence of central observers Nirmala Sitharaman and Vijay Rupani.

In the NCP camp, too, there were some anxieties with respect to the power sharing with leaders saying NCP chief Ajit Pawar may meet Shah in Delhi late on Tuesday.

There is yet no clarity on Cabinet structure in Maharashtra.

Meanwhile BJP leaders said arrangements were being made at Azad Maidan for the December 5 swearing-in ceremony.

Maharashtra BJP leader Prasad Lad said 42,000 people were expected.

"PM Narendra Modi, 10 ministers, 19 CMs and deputy CMs will attend the ceremony," he said.