Devendra Fadnavis likely Maha CM, Eknath Shinde-Ajit Pawar Dy CMs
Devendra Fadnavis likely Maha CM, Eknath Shinde-Ajit Pawar
Dy CMs
Devendra Fadnavis likely
to be Maharashtra Chief Minister, Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar Deputy CMs
Shiv Sena and NCP likely to get 12 and 10 ministerial berths, respectively, with some key portfolios thrown in. Sources reveal that BJP top leadership are to meet Mahayuti leadership trio in Delhi in the evening.
The BJP’s top leadership on Monday cleared Fadnavis’s name and the proposal also received the approval of alliance partners Shiv Sena led by Shinde and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) of Pawar.
BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis will take charge as Maharashtra Chief Minister, with Eknath Shinde likely Dy.CM along with Ajit Pawar.
As per BJP insider,. Devendra Fadnavis’s name has been approved for CM by the BJP leadership. Other sources in the Mahayuti revealbl that besides Fadnavis as CM, both the Shiv Sena and NCP will have one deputy CM each.
However, according to a Senior Shiv Sena source, there has been no consultation with them on making Fadnavis the CM and our party has not agreed on any name for CM yet.
Shinde who was hoping to be retained as CM is likely to be made the deputy CM along with Pawar. While Shinde was negotiating with the BJP over the last 36 hours, a source said the Sena might land up with around 12 ministerial berths and be given some key portfolios.
The NCP is also said to end up with around 10 ministerial berths. The maximum permissible limit for the Council of Ministers in Maharashtra is 43, including the CM. The BJP, with132 MLAs, is likely to retain 21 ministerial berths for itself.
The source also revealed that the top four portfolios of Home, Finance, Urban Development and Revenue that the BJP was keen on retaining would now be shared with the alliancem partners. The BJP may insist on home and finance, according to the BJP insiders.
Sources reveal that some last-minute negotiations on the number of ministerial berths and portfolios was still continuing.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has convened a meeting in the evening in Delhi with Shinde, Fadnavis, and Pawar to discuss the power-sharing details and the Cabinet composition and an announcement is expected to transpire after that. The BJP’s central leadership is learnt to have assured its allies that it would accommodate their concerns to the extent possible while keeping the party’s interests intact.
In 2014, Fadnavis was the CM and served out the five-year term. At that time around, .the BJP was in coalition with then undivided Shiv Sena. Following the 2019 Assembly polls, the Fadnavis-led BJP joined hands with Ajit Pawar. Fadnavis took oath as CM and Pawar as Deputy CM but the government lasted for around 80 hours as Ajit went back to his uncle and current NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar.
News Edit KV Raman
