Shiv Sena chief and acting Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has accepted the Maharashtra Deputy CM post and he is likely to get Urban Development Ministry, said the sources on Monday night. The development comes after BJP leader and former minister in the previous government, Girish Mahajan, met Shinde in Thane this evening. After the meeting which lasted about an hour, Mahajan said, went to see Shinde to enquire about his health.
"Everything is fine in the Mahayuti. Shinde has a big heart, he is not one of those who gets angry over small things, he is not upset. From tomorrow everyone will be seen working together. We will run the government strongly for five years," he added.
In another development, NCP chief Ajit Pawar met party colleague Praful Patel at his residence in Delhi. Pawar will arrive in Mumbai tomorrow. According to sources, the BJP leaders, Shinde and Pawar will go to the Azad Maidan to review the preparations for the swearing-in ceremony and will also show their unity.
Fadnavis will be next Maharashtra CM: BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar
Earlier in the day, BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar declared that Devendra Fadnavis will be the Maharashtra chief minister. "It is my opinion that the decision will be taken in the meeting of the legislative party. BJP will not give any surprise," he asserted.
Meanwhile, former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, one of the two central observers of the BJP for its legislature party meet in Maharashtra, on Monday asserted efforts will be made to unanimously elect a leader and said he feels the neighbouring state will get a "BJP CM".
The BJP, which heads the ruling Mahayuti in Maharashtra, named Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Rupani as central observers for its legislature party meeting in Mumbai, where the MLAs will elect their leader.
Key BJP legislature party's meeting in next two days
"Maharashtra BJP legislature party's meeting will be held either on Tuesday or Wednesday. Efforts will be made to unanimously elect a leader in that meeting of BJP MLAs. I and Sitharamanji will attend the meeting as observers and submit a report to the high command for the declaration of a leader, who may eventually become the CM if such a formula is finalised," said Rupani at his residence in Rajkot.
The crucial meeting of newly-elected BJP MLAs will be held on Wednesday morning in Vidhan Bhawan in south Mumbai, a party functionary said in the financial capital.
Oath-taking ceremony on December 5
The BJP has already announced that Maharashtra's new chief minister will take oath on December 5 evening at Azad Maidan in Mumbai in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other leaders of the saffron party and its allies.
Though the party has not made any formal announcement, Devendra Fadnavis, a two-time former chief minister and deputy CM in the outgoing Mahayuti government, is widely seen as the frontrunner for the top post.
The BJP's two main allies in the Mahayuti coalition, the Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), are each tipped to be given deputy CM positions in the new government.
In the November 20 Maharashtra polls, the Mahayuti won 230 of the 288 assembly seats. The BJP led with 132 seats followed by the Shiv Sena (57) and NCP (41).
(With agencies inputs)
