The political landscape of Maharashtra took a sudden turn on Friday when a crucial meeting of the Mahayuti alliance, set to finalize the formation of the new state government, was abruptly called off.
The meeting, which was supposed to address key issues like portfolio distribution, was disrupted after caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde unexpectedly left for his village in Satara district, adding to the uncertainty surrounding the state's political future.
Earlier in the day, Shinde, along with BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis and NCP’s Ajit Pawar, had returned to Mumbai after attending talks with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP President JP Nadda in Delhi.
The discussions, which focused on hammering out a power-sharing deal following the BJP-led alliance's victory in the recent Maharashtra Assembly elections, were described by Shinde as "good and positive." However, his sudden departure for Satara created a roadblock, leaving the formation of the government hanging in the balance.
Sources close to the developments suggested that Shinde would return to Mumbai by Saturday, but the delay has only intensified the suspense over who will ultimately take charge as the new chief minister and how the ministerial positions will be distributed.
The BJP, which secured a commanding 132 seats in the assembly, has yet to convene a meeting of its legislature party to formally announce its chief ministerial candidate. However, it is widely expected that Fadnavis will assume the top post.
While the BJP appears set to lead the government, the allies in the Mahayuti alliance — Shiv Sena and the NCP — are focused on securing key cabinet positions.
Despite their relatively smaller numbers, the Shiv Sena, with 57 seats, and Ajit Pawar’s NCP, with 41 seats, are vying for important ministerial roles, as their chances of claiming the chief minister's position seem slim.
Some insiders have speculated that the new government could feature two deputy chief ministers to represent the three major factions of the Mahayuti alliance, which would include BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP.
In terms of cabinet posts, BJP sources indicated that the party is likely to accommodate around 20 ministers, with Shiv Sena receiving a larger share of the portfolio than NCP.
During the discussions in Delhi, BJP leadership made it clear that Devendra Fadnavis would be the next chief minister of Maharashtra. Initially, Shinde was reluctant to accept a deputy chief minister role but reportedly softened his stance and later pushed for the home portfolio.
While Shiv Sena leaders have rallied behind Shinde, arguing that he should continue as chief minister, the outgoing CM himself appeared to defer to the decisions made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah.
Shinde even assured Modi that he would not stand in the way of government formation, emphasizing that any decision made by the BJP leadership would be final for him and his party.
Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Shirsat, however, hinted that Shinde was unlikely to accept the deputy chief minister's position. According to Shirsat, it would not be appropriate for someone who had already served as the state’s chief minister to play second fiddle to Fadnavis.
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