BJP Secures Maharashtra Chief Minister Role, Two Deputy CM Posts Proposed

According to reports cited by news agency PTI, Mahayuti big names including Ajit Pawar, Devendra Fadnavis and Maharashtra caretaker chief minister Eknath Shinde are expected to meet with the BJP’s high leadership on Thursday.

The formula for one chief minister and two deputy chief ministers may be laid out in the meeting to maintain the Mahayuti coalition which consists of the BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP, for the period of five years that follows.

It is anticipated that the BJP will be the CM and that the Nationalist Congress Party and Shiv Sena will each receive two deputies.

According to insiders, Pawar will remain one of the two deputy chief ministers, while Shinde may switch places with Fadnavis.

Earlier in the day, Shiv Sena politician and departing chief minister Eknath Shinde virtually made room for a BJP leader to take over with departing deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis being the front runner.

Shinde declared that he would not stand in the way of the BJP leadership’s selection of the next chief minister and that he would “fully support” their decision.

Shinde told reporters at his Thane home, “I called PM Modi and Amit Shah yesterday and told them to decide (on who will be the CM post), and assured them that I will abide by whatever decision they take.”

In the state assembly elections, the BJP led Mahayuti alliance won 230 seats in the 288 member House easily defeating the opposition.

The BJP recovered from its defeats in the Lok Sabha election by gaining 132 seats followed by the Sena with 57 seats and the NCP with 41 seats. They also wiped out the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi giving the Congress its worst-ever loss in the state.

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