Amid ongoing tussle over the CM post in Maharashtra even days after the assembly elections, Nirmala Sitharaman and Vijay Rupani were on Monday appointed as observers for election of BJP legislature party leader. The development comes as the BJP legislature party meeting in Maharashtra will be held on December 4.
The development comes hours after Shiv Sena MP from Kalyan Shrikant Shinde refuted the "rumours" of him becoming the Deputy CM of Maharashtra and said that he is not in the race for any ministerial position in the state.
"After elections results, formation of government is delayed a little and that is why so many rumours are floating around and one is that I am going to be the deputy chief minister in the new government. I want to tell everyone that this is completely baseless and false, there is no fact in this. I had already a chance to become a minister in the Union Cabinet after Lok Sabha elections, but I chose to work for my party organisation and it is still like that, I have no desire for a position in power," Shrikant Shinde posted on X.
He further said that he is not in the race for any ministerial position in the state, adding that he is willing to work for his Lok Sabha constituency and Shiv Sena.
"I can understand the enthusiasm and competition of News media but at the same time, they should not turn their back on the facts. I hope that rumours about me. Will stop now," he added.
Eknath Shinde on Sunday returned to Mumbai from his native village in Satara, where he had gone to recuperate after a brief illness. Shinde was bestowed a 'guard of honour' by the Satara police after which he took the flight back to the state capital. Addressing mediapersons in his native village, Shinde said that the Mahayuti alliance's chief minister candidate will be decided tomorrow and reiterated that he has already given his "unconditional support" to the decision taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP President JP Nadda.
He also told mediapersons that he was in good health. Shinde had arrived in his native village on Friday evening to take a break following a hectic election schedule as the ruling-BJP-led Mahayuti is yet to declare a CM for Maharashtra, one of the key states.
Speaking to reporters in Satara, Shinde said, "I am feeling better now. I came here to rest after the busy election schedule. I didn't take any leave during my two and half years as Chief Minister. People are still visiting me here. This government will listen to the people. I have already given my unconditional support to the decision of the Prime Minister, Home Minister and BJP President and I will support whatever they decide for Maharashtra..."
Shinde, also highlighted unity among Mahayuti leaders, stating, "Our government's work over the past two and a half years will be remembered in history. This is why the people gave us a historic mandate and denied the opposition even the chance to elect a Leader of the Opposition. All three allies of the Mahayuti have a good understanding. The Chief Minister candidate will be decided tomorrow," he said.
Shinde, Devendra Fadnavis -- widely considered the frontrunner for Chief Minister-- NCP chief Ajit Pawar, and other Mahayuti leaders met Amit Shah and JP Nadda in Delhi on Thursday evening to discuss the deadlock over the Chief Ministerial position.
The Maharashtra Assembly election results, declared on November 23, saw the Mahayuti alliance achieve a landslide victory. The BJP emerged as the largest party with 132 seats in the 280-member Assembly, while its allies--the Shiv Sena, led by Eknath Shinde, and the NCP, led by Ajit Pawar--won 57 and 41 seats, respectively.
