Any decision by Prime Minister Narendra Modi or Union home minister Amit Shah on selecting the chief minister of Maharashtra will be acceptable to him, caretaker CM and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde said on Wednesday, potentially paving the way for a Bharatiya Janata Party (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.
“I called PM Modi and Amit Shah yesterday and told them to decide (on who will be the CM post), and assured them that I will abide by whatever decision they take,” Shinde said at a press conference in Thane.
“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.
“You (PM Modi) are the head of our family. The way people of BJP accept your decision, we will also accept your decision in the same way,” Shinde added.
Leaders of the three parties of the Mahayuti – the BJP, the Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party – will have a meeting in Shah’s presence in Delhi on Thursday, Shinde added. The chief minister’s name is expected to be announced shortly after that. The oath-taking ceremony is likely to be held on Monday
“I am not unhappy and not a speedbreaker in their decision making. We will support any decision taken by them (PM Modi and Shah),” Shinde said.
{{/usCountry}}“I am not unhappy and not a speedbreaker in their decision making. We will support any decision taken by them (PM Modi and Shah),” Shinde said.
{{/usCountry}}The comments by Shinde, who resigned as chief minister on Tuesday and is serving as caretaker CM, appeared to end the uncertainty over the state’s top job whose other contender was speculated to be former deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis (who previously served as CM between 2014 and 2019). 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.
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.
In his press conference, Shinde (whose Shiv Sena won 57 seats) said he was not unhappy or angry due to the political scenario and denied that he was rooting for the chief minister’s post. He said that he always worked like a worker and a common man, and did not behave like a chief minister.
“I have always worked as a worker. I never considered myself a chief minister. CM means Common Man, I worked by considering this... We should work for people. I have seen the pain of citizens, how they run their households,” he said.
“Whoever is elected as the CM by Mahayuti, Shiv Sainiks will support him,” he added.
Shinde thanked Modi and Shah for supporting him during his two-and-a-half year tenure as chief minister. “We worked to take Maharashtra to Number 1 spot from Number 3 in six months of my becoming CM,” he said.
“I am not disappointed. We fight and don’t cry,” Shinde said, referring to media reports that he was unhappy over being asked to step down. “I worked as the CM not to become popular but for the welfare of people of Maharashtra,” Shinde said.
“I have made a resolve that I will do something for the people. I come from a poor family. My wife used to make both ends work with great difficulty, ‘’ said Shinde.
He underlined how his government devised schemes for farmers and young women, mentioning in particular the Ladki Bahin scheme, under which ₹1,500 was given per month to poor women and which was considered a major contributor to the Mahayuti’s landslide victory.
Shinde said that Mahayuti had to work further, and added that Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray’s dream of an ordinary Shiv Sainik becoming CM was fulfilled by them.
He thanked all voters for a landslide victory. “Maharashtra saw such a massive victory for the first time. This was due to Mahayuti’s work and the people’s faith,” he said.
Shinde said Modi and Shah backed him. “I remember those days. I thank Modi and Shah. They gave us funds and backed our schemes. They helped the state progress. This was possible as state and central governments thought on the same lines. I am very content. I took many big decisions,’’ he said.
Soon after Shinde’s announcement, Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule said, “On behalf of the party, I wish to thank Eknath Shinde. He has done a fantastic job and it is because of him the Mahayuti has received an unprecedented mandate. Eknath Shinde has always followed BJP leadership’s instruction as a true Mahayuti leader.”
State NCP chief Sunil Tatkare said, “We had clarified our stand first and said BJP will take a call on CM. Things will become clear on Thursday and the candidate for CM’s post will be decided soon.”