Maha govt formation delayed as Shinde heads to his village, Mahayuti meet called off

MUMBAI: Nearly a week after the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance posted a landslide victory in Maharashtra Assembly polls, the formation of the new coalition government is still shrouded in uncertainty.

Seemingly upset over developments, the caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde who heads his faction of Shiv Sena, abruptly headed to his native village in Satara which delayed holding a key Mahayuti meeting scheduled on Friday. The meeting was put off and is likely to take place on Sunday now.

Shinde-led Shiv Sena sources said the ruling alliance’s meeting was expected to be convened in Mumbai on Sunday.

Leaders of the BJP, the largest Mahayuti constituent, said they were awaiting the arrival of central observers for the legislature party meeting.

The swearing-in of the new government is expected to take place next week, the sources said.

Shinde, speaking to reporters in New Delhi Thursday night, had said talks with Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah on government formation were positive and constructive and the next round of discussions will be held in Mumbai on Friday. However, he suddenly left for his village.

During his Delhi trip, Shinde met Shah and discussed the formation of the next government in the state. The meeting was also attended by his deputies in the outgoing state cabinet Devendra Fadnavis (BJP) and Ajit Pawar (NCP). The meeting of the big three was held with BJP strategist and Home Minister to thrash out an amicable power-sharing arrangement.

Shinde returned to Mumbai on Friday morning and according to Shiv Sena sources, he left for his native village

Dare in Satara district in western Maharashtra in the evening.

Shinde was at the Chief Minister’s official residence ‘Varsha’ in South Mumbai where he met a stream of visitors, including party leaders and MLAs.

The Shiv Sena leader has said he would not be an obstacle in the government formation and abide by the decisions taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah on the next chief minister.

Different viewpoints are emerging in the Shiv Sena over Shinde’s place in the next government after the BJP-led Mahayuti posted a thumping win in the just-held Assembly polls.

Fadnavis also returned to Mumbai on Friday after meeting Shah in Delhi over government formation.

In Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Shirsat said if Shinde doesn’t accept the deputy CM’s post in the new government, then it will be given to someone from their party.

Talking to reporters, Shirsat said Shinde will certainly not go to the Centre as a Union minister.

“If Shinde does not accept the deputy CM’s post, then some other leader from our party will get it. He (Shinde) will take a call on this by evening,” said Shirsat, who retained his Aurangabad Assembly West seat.

Shirsat’s party colleague Shamburaj Desai said their MLA-elects and party workers strongly feel that Shinde should be a part of the new government.

In the just-held polls to the 288-member Assembly, the BJP won 132 seats, followed by its allies Shiv Sena (57) and NCP (41).

Shirsat’s party colleague and former minister

Shamburaj Desai said their MLA-elects and party workers strongly feel that Shinde should be a part of the new government.

Desai was the guardian minister of Thane, Shinde’s bastion, from 2022 to 2024. Looking at Shinde’s vast administrative experience,

Desai said, he should be a part of the next government in Maharashtra.