Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde on Wednesday withdrew from the race for Maharashtra's Chief Minister, stating he would respect any decision made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah regarding the post. His move cleared the way for a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader to assume the role.
Hours after his announcement, in a social media post, Shinde's son, Dr. Shrikant Shinde, praised his father's humility and commitment to public service. A three-time Lok Sabha MP from Kalyan, Shrikant described his father as someone who always prioritised the common man and had opened the doors of the Chief Minister's residence for them.
"I am very proud of my father and our Shiv Sena Chief Leader Mr. Shri Eknathji Shinde Saheb. His unwavering commitment to Maharashtra and its people is unparalleled. He worked tirelessly day and night. Earned their love, trust and appreciation by serving selflessly to every section of the society. They consider themselves as 'CM' meaning 'Common Man'. He opened the doors of Varsha Bangla to common people and created a new history in public service," Dr. Shrikant said wrote in Marathe on X.
"Even at the peak of his career, his humility and sense of duty is evident," he added.
He added that his father’s actions demonstrated that alliance dharma, or the importance of maintaining coalition ties mattered more than personal ambition. "Public service and nation building have always been top priorities for him," he said. "His legacy will continue to inspire generations."
Eknath Shinde, addressing a press conference in Thane, reiterated his commitment to the BJP leadership. “There are no issues or obstacles. The final decision on the Chief Minister’s post will be made by Modi and Amit Shah, and we, as Shiv Sena, will accept it,” he concluded, signaling that he was stepping back from the claim for the position of Chief Minister.
"I have always worked as a worker, and I continue to do so. I don’t consider myself as the Chief Minister. I have worked as a common man and have always been dedicated to serving the people. We are not the ones to complain or cry, but the ones who work for the people," Shinde said.
He also thanked the voters and people of Maharashtra for their overwhelming support, calling it a landslide victory, something not seen in many years. He credited the success to the work done by the Mahayuti coalition in the last two and a half years, including the resumption of stalled development projects. “This victory is a result of our hard work and the people’s trust. It’s a victory of development and welfare,” he added.
The suspense over who will become the next Chief Minister remains as leaders from the Mahayuti alliance — including BJP's Devendra Fadnavis, Shiv Sena's Eknath Shinde, and NCP's Ajit Pawar — are set to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi on Thursday. The Mahayuti alliance secured a landslide victory in the November 23 Assembly polls, winning 230 of the 288 seats. BJP emerged as the largest party with 132 seats, while Shiv Sena and NCP won 57 and 41, respectively. Despite the significant victory, the allies have not reached a consensus on who will take the top post, though Fadnavis is widely expected to assume the role due to the BJP’s strong performance.