Mahayuti leaders in huddle with Amit Shah for Maharashtra power-sharing pact

BJP's Devendra Fadnavis frontrunner for CM post

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, Updated At : 11:07 PM Nov 28, 2024 IST

Eknath Shinde with Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar during a press conference in Mumbai. PTI

Maharashtra government power-sharing talks began at the residence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday night, with top leaders of all three constituents of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in attendance.

BJP's Devendra Fadnavis, NCP's Ajit Pawar and Shiv Sena's Eknath Shinde, the caretaker CM, arrived at Shah's residence in Delhi to decide on the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Ministers, Cabinet berth division and portfolio allocations.

Sources told The Tribune that Fadnavis was the frontrunner for CM's post, after Shinde made it clear that he would go by what Prime minister Narendra Modi and Shah decide.

There's a groundswell of support in the BJP for Fadnavis as CM and the RSS is backing him, too.

With the BJP the single-largest party nearly close to majority on its own in Maharashtra, the CM post is expected to be kept by it.

Fadnavis appears a frontrunner also because Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde may agree to work only under him rather than any other lesser-known leader the BJP may like to choose as it did in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan earlier.

The Maharashtra Cabinet can have 43 ministers.

Shah is likely to offer to allies the same formula for power sharing as exists in the outgoing government--CM and two deputy CMs plus ministerial berth sharing.

Earlier in the day, the Shiv Sena said Shinde may stay as minister in the Fadnavis cabinet but may not accept to become deputy CM.

Government formation is expected by December 2.

Mahayuti leaders in huddle with Amit Shah for Maharashtra power-sharing pact

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service