A day returning from his hometown, caretaker Chief Minister and Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde on Monday remained at his Thane residence and cancelled all the appointments citing ill health.
Amid the delay in government formation, Shinde had on Sunday said that the Mahayuti leaders will hold a meeting to decide on portfolio distribution and power-sharing pact. Shinde-led Sena clarified that there was no meeting of the three Mahayuti leaders scheduled for Monday.
However, BJP leader and former minister Girish Mahajan Monday met Shinde at his residence and held a discussion with him.
Even as BJP and Sena said that it was courtesy call and that Mahajan had gone there to enquire about Shinde’s health, speculation was rife that Mahajan had gone to Shinde with a message about power-sharing pact from Devendra Fadnavis, who is likely to be the BJP’s pick for the chief minister post.
Meanwhile, leader of the third Mahayuti ally NCP Ajit Pawar on Monday went to Delhi. Dismissing reports that Monday’s meeting was cancelled as the Shinde Sena was unhappy, party leader and former minister Deepak Kesarkar said that Shinde is not upset and he is not keeping well.
“There was no meeting scheduled on Monday. When there was no meeting scheduled, how can it be cancelled? We are waiting for the BJP to call for the meeting,” Kesarkar said adding that there are no differences between the BJP and Sena over portfolio and power sharing and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president JP Nadda will take the final decision.
“We only feel that Shinde ji should be honoured and there are no other more expectations from our side,” he said.
Meanwhile, Shinde’s son Shrikant Shinde Monday dismissed speculations that he is in the race to become the deputy chief minister and said he has “no desire for any position in the government”. In a post on X, Shrikant, the Kalyan Lok Sabha MP, said he does not want any ministerial position in the Maharashtra Cabinet.
“The swearing-in ceremony of the Mahayuti government has been delayed, which has led to a surge in discussions and rumours. Hon’ble caretaker Chief Minister Shri Eknath Shinde had to take rest at his native place for two days due to health issues. As a result, the rumours have only intensified. There have been speculations about me becoming the deputy chief minister, but these news reports are baseless and unfounded,” Shrikant said.
“Even after the Lok Sabha elections, I had the opportunity to take up a ministerial position in the central government. However, considering the work for the party organisation, I declined that offer. I have no desire for any position in the government. I am not part of any race for a ministerial post in the state government,” he said.
A Shinde Sena leader said that the discussion on government formation and the portfolio distribution would be taken only after the legislative party meeting of the BJP.
Another Shinde Sena leader said the ball is in the BJP’s court. “We are not creating any hurdle or delaying the process. Everything has been clarified by Shinde ji in a press conference and now it is up to the BJP to decide its legislative leader and declare the name of CM. Whatever the discussion on the portfolio distribution will be, it will be decided during the meeting held by Devendra Fadnavis, Ajit Pawar, and Shinde ji,” said the leader.
However, the Sena leader admitted that the party is insisting on its claim to the Home ministry considering the earlier formula when Devendra Fadnavis was the deputy CM as well as in charge of the Home portfolio. However, the BJP is reluctant on giving the Home ministry to Shiv Sena.
Shiv Sena has also asked the BJP leadership for the portfolios that the party held in the outgoing government including Urban Development, Industry, Education, Health and Excise. During a press conference in Thane, last week, Shinde had said that his party will support the decision of PM Modi and Shah on the chief minister candidate.
