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Mahayuti leaders meetShah to seal power pact
Earlier, Fadnavis held a meeting with Ajit Pawar at the residence of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Sunil Tatkar
Top leaders of the Mahayuti flew into Delhi on Thursday night for a high-profile meeting at Union home minister Amit Shah’s residence to hammer out the formula for determining the next chief minister of Maharashtra as the stage for government formation shifted to the national capital.
Caretaker chief minister Eknath Shinde, his former deputies Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, along with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief JP Nadda were present at Shah’s house in the meeting that spilled into the late hours of the night. Leaders aware of developments said a decision was reached but added that a formal announcement might be made in Mumbai on Friday after legislature party meetings of the three Mahayuti constituents.
Fadnavis, who was chief minister of Maharashtra between 2014 and 2019, was tipped to be the next CM after Shinde said on Wednesday that he was amenable to any decision taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah.
“The meeting will be positive. Yesterday, we also clarified our stance that there is no obstacle to the CM of the Mahayuti alliance. This ‘Ladla Bhai’ has come to Delhi, and this designation is higher than anything else for me,” Shinde said at Delhi airport before driving straight to Shah’s Krishna Menon Marg residence .
He was referring to the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin scheme, under which poor women are paid ₹1,500 a month and which was one of the main contributors to the Mahayuti’s landslide victory in the recently concluded assembly elections.
Earlier, Fadnavis held a meeting with Ajit Pawar at the residence of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Sunil Tatkare. Shinde met Shah in Delhi separately ahead of the main meeting of the Mahayuti coalition. Ajit Pawar then joined the meeting at Shah’s residence, followed by Fadnavis.
The current structure of two deputy chief ministers along with the chief minister is expected to continue, officials aware of the discussions have indicated. At the meeting with Shah, the leaders were also expected to discuss the distribution of the 43 cabinet berths between the three alliance partners, portfolio distribution and guardian ministerships.
The Sena hinted that Shinde would abide by the Mahayuti’s decision. “Eknath Shinde has clarified his role and also expressed gratitude for the mandate given (by the people). CM Eknath Shinde has worked as a common man. He said that he would serve the people of Maharashtra; the whole country saw his nature yesterday. Shiv Sena will accept whatever decision Narendra Modi and Amit Shah take,” Sena lawmaker Uday Samant, who accompanied Shinde to Delhi, said.
NCP leader Ajit Pawar, too, said before the meeting that it would be productive. “We are united... There are no differences,” he said.
The meeting came a day after Shinde said any decision by Modi or Shah on selecting the chief minister will be acceptable to him, potentially paving the way for a BJP member to take over the state’s top job. Shinde’s comments came amid protracted uncertainty over the chief minister’s position, days after the BJP-headed Mahayuti won a landslide victory in the assembly elections. “Our Shiv Sena will fully support the BJP’s decision to name the next Maharashtra CM. There is no speed breaker from our side,” he said at the time.
The Mahayuti won 235 out of 288 seats in the November 20 assembly elections, trouncing the Maha Vikas Aghadi that won just 50 seats. The BJP was firm on having its own member as chief minister as the party won 132 seats, its best-ever performance in the state and just 12 short of a simple majority in the assembly. Ajit Pawar’s NCP, too, has backed Fadnavis for the post.
Based on the number of MLAs, the BJP was expected to corner the major chunk of the 43 cabinet berths, apart from the post of chief minister. The party was expected to retain 22 berths including that of the CM, while the Sena, which won 57 seats, and NCP, which won 41, were expected to get 12 and nine berths respectively.
Mahayuti leaders suggested that Fadnavis was likely to retain the home department, while finance was expected to go to the NCP. Shinde was likely to stake claim to the key urban development department but speculation is rife on whether he will accept the deputy CM’s position.
“Home, finance, urban development and revenue are considered the most critical departments. Of these, two will go to the BJP and one each to the two allies. Fadnavis is keen on the home portfolio as policing, which falls under the home department, is directly linked to the image of the government,” said a senior BJP leader, requesting anonymity.
Members of the Sena had pushed for Shinde to become the CM, arguing that the Mahayuti faced the assembly elections under his leadership. They also cited the example of Bihar, where Nitish Kumar remained CM despite winning fewer seats than ally BJP.
