MahaYuti's Government Formation Meeting Postponed Due to Eknath Shinde's Health Issues; Ajit Pawar Heads to Delhi for Discussions

Mumbai, Dec 2 (NationPress) The planned meeting for Monday between the MahaYuti alliance partners -- the BJP, Shiv Sena, and the NCP -- aimed at addressing government formation matters in Maharashtra has been cancelled following the decision of Caretaker Chief Minister and Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde to halt his activities after being advised by doctors to rest due to health issues.

In the meantime, NCP President and caretaker Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has departed for Delhi, where he is expected to meet Home Minister Amit Shah to discuss the distribution of Cabinet positions and the allocation of ministries among the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP.

The NCP, led by Ajit Pawar, has expressed its support for Devendra Fadnavis as the candidate for the chief ministerial role. At the same time, Shinde has stated that he will not obstruct the process, pledging to respect Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision regarding the chief minister position.

This marks the second cancellation of the MahaYuti meeting within a span of four days.

Shinde, Fadnavis, and Ajit Pawar had intended to convene on Friday to strategize on government formation, but the meeting was postponed after Shinde traveled to his hometown of Dare in Satara district.

Having returned from Dare on Sunday evening, Shinde is currently recuperating at his residence in Thane, following medical advice.

On Sunday, Shinde informed reporters that he and the two Deputy Chief Ministers would continue discussions on Monday regarding the chief minister's role, the distribution of portfolios, and party-specific positions in the upcoming Cabinet.

Shinde emphasized that over the past two and a half years, he has served as the 'common man's chief minister', asserting that the electorate would prefer him to resume the chief ministership, especially after the MahaYuti's significant victory in the November 20 Maharashtra Assembly elections.

The deadlock persists, with Shinde clinging to his demand for the Home Department, while the BJP appears hesitant to relinquish it from its share.

Furthermore, Shinde has not disclosed whether he will join the government as the deputy chief minister or appoint a trusted associate.

Interestingly, Shiv Sena legislators have elected Eknath Shinde as the leader of their legislative party group, while NCP legislators have unanimously chosen Ajit Pawar for the same role.

The BJP is scheduled to hold a meeting with its legislators on Wednesday (December 4) to select its group leader.

The party has appointed former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman as observers for this process.

Delays in reaching a consensus among the three partners have left Shiv Sena dismayed, particularly after state BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule unilaterally announced that the new cabinet's swearing-in ceremony would occur on December 5 at 5 p.m. at Azad Maidan, in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Shiv Sena has strongly objected to Bawankule’s announcement, arguing that the BJP has yet to select its legislative party leader and that the MahaYuti alliance has not formally claimed the right to form the government.

BJP legislator Shrikant Bharatiya clarified that there are no rifts among the MahaYuti partners, stating that the party legislators will soon convene to elect their legislative party leader.

"Maharashtra's next chief minister will be from the BJP. The final decision will rest with the party’s central leadership," he added.

Meanwhile, Eknath Shinde's son, Shrikant Shinde, a Shiv Sena MP, dismissed media speculation about his becoming the deputy chief minister. He reiterated that he has no aspirations for any governmental position.

"Even after the Lok Sabha elections, I had the chance to take on a ministerial role in the central government. However, prioritizing the party's organizational work, I declined that offer. I have no desire for any position in the government. I am not competing for any role in the state government, and I wish to emphasize that I will continue to work diligently for my Lok Sabha constituency and for the Shiv Sena party," Shrikant Shinde stated.