Maharashtra: Eknath Shinde concedes, ball in BJP’s court

Shiv Sena chief and former Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde addresses a press conference in Thane on Wednesday. Pic/PTI (right) BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis, contender for the CM’s post. File Pic/Shadab Khan

Caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde all but conceded his claim for the top job on Wednesday, saying he left the decision to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, paving the way for the Bharatiya Janata Party to name its chief ministerial candidate.

Devendra Fadnavis is now the hot favourite for the post, as party workers want the high command to reward the ex-CM for his performance in the elections and also make up for the party's decision to make him work as Dy CM in the Shinde government that was formed after the Shiv Sena split in 2022. On Wednesday afternoon, Shinde said his party will abide by the call taken by Modi and Shah and support the new chief minister, whoever it is.

(From left) Devendra Fadnavis, Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar at a media briefing. File Pic/Shadab Khan

He said the Mahayuti leaders (himself, Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar) will meet Shah in Delhi on Thursday to decide the future course of action. The name of the new CM is expected to be announced after this meeting. The state BJP has been waiting for all decks to be cleared before holding its Legislative Party meeting, which will formally elect the leader who will also be the CM-elect. The CM-elect will be endorsed by the alliance partners with a letter of support, which along with BJP's own list, will be submitted to the governor, who will invite him to form the government.

‘Ladka Bhau'

"I have always worked as a common man," said Shinde at a press conference held at his Thane residence. "When I was CM, the people thought I was their brother, not CM. For me, the identity of ‘Ladkya Bahinincha Ladka Bhau' (referring to the cash benefit scheme for women that gave the Mahayuti an unbeatable advantage over the MVA) is much more valuable than any other post. I am content. I don't cry, I fight'."

Four-day suspense

Thus, Shinde ended an impasse, agreeing to go by the BJP's wish four days after the massive mandate for Mahayuti. The BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP have together won numbers so big that none of their political rivals from the MVA has the strength to deserve the Leader of the Opposition post in the Assembly.

Chandrashekhar Bawankule, senior BJP leader. File Pic/Satej Shinde

However, there was no clarity from Shinde whether he would become a Dy CM in the new government or give the position to one of his party colleagues, like his MP son Shrikant. The second Dy CM will be from Ajit Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party.

Delhi-bound?

Some observers said if Shinde does not take up the Dy CM's job, he may opt for a berth in the Union ministry or stay in Maharashtra to work fulltime as the Sena's chief ‘Mentor'.

In the Mahayuti, the BJP has surpassed its 2014 tally in the house, and with that bench strength, the party has decided to install its representative as the CM. Shinde and his party workers were reluctant to step down. The Sena's show of strength did not go down well with the BJP high command, which had clearly sent a message that Shinde won't continue in the CMO.

Shinde, who kept a studied silence for three days, invited the media to his Thane residence on Wednesday. He said he had telephonic conversations with PM Modi and Shah on Tuesday, after which he decided to reach out to the media with his decision.

"I have told them [Modi and Shah] over the phone that they should not think that I am an obstacle while they decide about the CM candidate," he said. ""I am happy that I could work for the betterment of people in two and a half years. We combined development with welfare, and it was because of this combination that we were voted to power with such a big majority. I was Mahayuti's CM. The BJP supported me, and Modi and Shah stood behind me rock solid. It is time I supported them."

What next?

In a coordinated ‘advance' move, the BJP also announced a press conference. As Shinde's event ended, state BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule began his briefing in Nagpur.

"I welcome Shinde's decision and thank him for strengthening the Mahayuti. He has demonstrated that our battle was not for the CM's post, but for the 12 crore people of Maharashtra. On the other hand, the MVA had many CM candidates. The Congress had seven or eight. The NCP (SP) had three, and the Sena (UBT) had two - the father and son," he said.

According to Bawankule, Shinde will be the Mahayuti's main leader, a pillar, even in the days to come. "We are proud of him," said the BJP chief, whose name has also cropped up as one of the probables for the CM's post, because of his Other Backward Castes (OBC) status. But he has been supporting Fadnavis, his party colleague for three decades.

Bawankule confirmed that Shinde, Fadnavis and Pawar were scheduled to meet Amit Shah in Delhi on Thursday to discuss everything - the CM's name and distribution of power (number of ministerial berths, portfolios and district guardian ministers each ally will get).

Answer soon: Fadnavis

Talking to reporters in Sambhaji Nagar before Shinde's announcement, Fadnavis said the talks of the CM candidate will be answered very soon. He said there were no differences in Mahayuti and they had decided everything together before the elections.

"Three parties will sit together and decide," he said, adding that the CM's face will be decided first, who in turn, will submit the list of MLAs to the governor for government formation. "Our high command is in talks with the alliance partners. We said that we will decide together after the elections. We will meet our senior leaders in Delhi tomorrow and decide things. Whatever people had in their minds, Honorable Shinde has dispelled all doubts today."

By month-end: Pawar

Ajit Pawar said he had been invited to Delhi for the meeting with Shah on Thursday. "We will meet tomorrow and after that a new government with a CM and two Dy CMs will be formed," he said, adding that the ceremony could be on November 30 or December 1. Pawar, who is expected to continue as finance minister, said, "The Winter Session to be held in Nagpur is fast approaching. We will have to approve supplementary demands. There is a lot of work pressure."