Maharashtra's caretaker Chief Minister, Eknath Shinde, announced on Thursday that the Mahayuti alliance will hold another meeting in Mumbai to decide on the next chief minister. This statement followed a key meeting in Delhi between Shinde, BJP's Devendra Fadnavis, NCP's Ajit Pawar, and other Mahayuti leaders, alongside Union Minister Amit Shah and BJP National President JP Nadda.
Shinde described the meeting as positive and constructive. "This was the first meeting, and we discussed various matters with Amit Shah and JP Nadda. Another meeting will be held in Mumbai, where a decision will be made on who will take the position of Chief Minister," Shinde said.
Earlier, Shinde had dismissed any concerns about the chief minister's position, stating that he would accept whatever decision Prime Minister Narendra Modi takes regarding the matter. "I clarified in yesterday's press conference that there are no issues regarding the Chief Minister's post. The title 'ladla bhai' is more significant to me than anything else," Shinde added.
Devendra Fadnavis also assured that there were no differences within the alliance, emphasizing that the decision on the Chief Minister's post would be made collectively. "There has never been any disagreement in the Mahayuti alliance. We always make decisions together. Before the elections, we agreed that the Chief Minister's post would be decided after the results," Fadnavis said. He also confirmed that a final decision would be made soon after consulting the leaders.
The Shiv Sena, which secured 57 seats in the assembly, has been advocating for Shinde as Chief Minister, citing his leadership in securing a significant victory for the coalition. Exit polls also suggest Shinde's popularity for the position. Meanwhile, the BJP, with its highest-ever tally of 132 seats in the 288-member assembly, continues to support Devendra Fadnavis as the next Chief Minister.