‘Unwell’ Shinde heads to village, key Mahayuti meet postponed

The spectre of a further delay in Maharashtra Government formation looms large as caretaker Chief Minister and Shiv Sena president Eknath Shinde took off to his native village in Satara on Friday, triggering speculation behind his intent.

As an immediate outcome of Shinde's sudden absence, a crucial meeting of three Mahayuti partners -- BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP -- which was scheduled for Friday, had to be postponed. This meeting was to cement the power-sharing deal before the swearing-in earlier planned for December 2.

The meeting between NDA partners -- Devendra Fadnavis (BJP), Shinde and NCP's Ajit Pawar -- was supposed to go over what was discussed about power sharing with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi last night and give it a final shape.

Shiv Sena spokesperson Uday Samant rushed to explain that Eknath Shinde was not upset and was just very unwell and wanted to go to his village Dare in Satara and rest.

"Eknath Shinde was unwell yesterday also when he met Home Minister Amit Shah...Anyone can face a health issue. It will be wrong to say he has gone to his village because he is upset," said Samant, adding that the meeting of Mahayuti leaders could also happen virtually, if not physically.

At the meeting last night, Amit Shah and BJP chief JP Nadda are learnt to have conveyed to Shinde that the Chief Minister would be from the BJP. Shah is said to have offered Deputy CM-ship to allies Shiv Sena and NCP, as was the arrangement in the outgoing Cabinet.

Shinde, who had two days ago said he would not cause any obstruction in the path of government formation, appears to be in a reflective mode right now, with the finer power-sharing agreement and details of Cabinet portfolios between NDA allies yet to be worked out.

NDA sources said the government formation could now be delayed further until, may be, December 5.

The BJP is also yet to send its central observers to Mumbai for the election of the legislative party leader, a position Fadnavis is expected to get.

Sena sources also said if Shinde does not accept Deputy CM-ship (he is learnt to be reluctant about a demotion), he may seek the position for someone else, perhaps his son Shrikant Shinde. Meanwhile, Shiv Sena leaders continue to expert pressure on Shinde to stick to his stake on the CM's post, something he reluctantly gave up two days ago in BJP's favour.

Meanwhile in the talks held with Shah yesterday, the NCP is learnt to have agreed to enter the Union Cabinet and could get one berth. The NCP had earlier stayed away from the Union Council of Ministers as it wanted a full Cabinet berth instead of a Minister of State post. Having delivered in Maharashtra, the NCP may just have earned itself a Union Cabinet berth too, with Rajya Sabha MP Praful Patel its likely nominee for the position.