Eknath Shinde, the rebel Shiv Sena MLA who brought the two-and-a-half year long tenure of Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government down, will take oath as the new chief minister of Maharashtra at 7:30 pm.
The 64-year-old leader's name for the top post was announced by BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis at the press conference after the duo met governor Bhagat Singh Koshiyari and submitted the letter of support of the MLAs supporting them. “I won't be part of the Eknath Shinde-led ministry; will support it from outside,” he said.
Maharashtra Power Play: LIVE Coverage
During the presser, Eknath Shinde said he and the rebels quit the Maha Vikas Aghadi for the development of Maharashtra and the constituencies of the MLAs. Here are the top quotes by the Maharashtra chief minister-designate.
1. “I had been apprising CM Thackeray about the issues the MLAs were facing from time to time. There was no attention paid to it,” he said.
2. “It was the decision taken by Devendra Fadnavis to make Balasaheb 's Shiv Sainik the CM despite the BJP having more MLAs. Fadnavis could have become CM going by the numbers but he showed a big heart and I thank him," Shinde said. Earlier, there were speculations that Fadnavis would become the chief minister for the third time.
3. “We will take the ideology of Balasaheb Thackeray and 'Dharmveer ' Anand Dighe forward,” he said.
4. “A total of 50 MLAs are with us, including 40 MLAs from Shiv Sena...We have fought this battle so far with their help...I will not let even a scratch mar the trust that these 50 people have placed in me - let alone break that trust,” Shinde said in the joint presser with Fadnavis.
5. “The decision that we have taken is committed to Balasaheb's Hindutva. We have 50 MLAs with us”.
