Maharashtra CM: Fadnavis in Delhi, Shinde Sena demands ‘Bihar pattern’
#News Bureau November 26,2024
Senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis, who is seen as a strong contender for the post of Chief Minister, arrived in Delhi late on Monday night for a meeting with top party leaders. Fadnavis is likely to meet Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP President JP Nadda to discuss the formation of the next government in Maharashtra.
Indications from Mumbai to Delhi indicate that BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis is likely to become the Chief Minister of Maharashtra. Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar will be his deputies. However, the Shinde-led Shiv Sena on Monday demanded that the ‘Bihar pattern’ be implemented in the state. JDU leader Nitish Kumar was given the Chief Minister’s post in Bihar despite the BJP getting more seats than the JDU in the assembly elections.
BJP sources said its top leadership has approved Fadnavis’ name for Maharashtra CM post and alliance partners Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) have also approved it. However, a top Shiv Sena source said, “There has been no consultation with us on making Fadnavis CM and our party has not yet agreed on any name for CM.”
Shinde Sena MP Naresh Mhaske said, “We believe that the Bihar pattern should be implemented in the state for the post of Chief Minister of Maharashtra and Eknath Shinde should become CM again.” He said that he believes that the BJP will not do injustice to its alliance partners.
Another Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Shirsat said, “The election was fought under the leadership of Shinde ji and we have got this mandate because of Shinde ji’s value and connection with the people. Therefore, we feel that Shinde ji should be made the Chief Minister.” Along with this, Sena workers across the state are insisting on making Shinde the CM again, some people are also offering puja and prayers in temples. Many leaders of Shinde Sena also met Fadnavis and other BJP leaders to discuss their demand.
A source in Shiv Sena Shinde said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP President JP Nadda will decide the next CM. There is a meeting in Delhi on Tuesday. Shiv Sena is not going to back down and we will continue to insist on our demand.
Meanwhile, it seems that the Mahayuti has already finalised the cabinet berth-sharing formula in which five to six MLAs will be made ministers. According to this formula, Shinde’s Sena will get 12 cabinet seats, Ajit Pawar-led NCP 10 seats and the rest will go to the BJP.
A party functionary said that if Eknath Shinde does not become the CM, it will give the Sena (Uttar Pradesh) and Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) an opportunity to grow in the state and they will be able to target the BJP as well as Devendra Fadnavis and a feeling will be created that the BJP used the Shiv Sena’s name and symbol to bring itself to power through Eknath Shinde and then oust them. The functionary said that every decision of the government will turn into a Gujarat versus Maharashtra battle.
Local body elections will be held across Maharashtra in the coming months. According to the Sena leader, changing the face now will lead to a re-evaluation of the government and will erode the current momentum built by the victory in the assembly elections. The Shiv Sena has also said that Shinde should become the CM as every pre-poll survey showed that Eknath Shinde was the most popular CM face across Maharashtra.
