Hours after Eknath Shinde hinted his withdrawal from the Chief Minister's race in Maharashtra, Shiv Sena on Wednesday said that the caretaker CM has not said that he wont accept Deputy Chief Minister's post. Shiv Sena leader Deepak Kesarkar said, "He (Eknath Shinde ) hasn't said anything that he won't accept the deputy CM post. It's the outside people that are saying all these things. It's their (BJP) decision. Let them decide. Everything else is a premature thing to say..."
What did Shinde say in press conference?
Earlier in the day, Maharashtra caretaker Chief Minister Shinde held a press conference and made it clear that he would accept the decision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah on the name of the next CM of the state. He said that he is not upset and he will endorse the BJP's candidate for the Maharashtra CM's post.
"I thank all the voters of Maharashtra for supporting Mahayuti and giving us a landslide victory. It's unprecedented. Home Minister Amit Shah and PM Modi have fulfilled the dream of Balasaheb Thackeray to make a common Shiv Sainik, the CM. They (PM Modi and Shah) have always stood with me."
He further said, "For the past 2-4 days, you must have seen rumours that someone is miffed. We are not people who get miffed. I spoke with the PM yesterday and told him that there is no obstruction from our end in forming the government (in Maharashtra). You make a decision."
'Shinde's statement cleared doubt': Fadnavis
After Shinde's statement, BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis, who is the front runner for the chief minister post in Maharashtra, said Eknath Shinde's statement has cleared the doubts of many people. "In our Mahayuti, there was never a difference of opinions towards one another. We have always made decisions by sitting together and we have said before elections that we will take the decision (regarding CM's post) collectively after the elections. A few people have doubts which Eknath Shinde ji has clarified today. Soon we will meet our leaders and will take the decision,"
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