Ramdas Athawale said the name of the chief minister could be announced on December 4. Union minister Ramdas Athawale on Tuesday claimed the BJP top brass offered the post of the chief of the Mahayuti alliance to Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde but he declined. Amid uncertainty over who would become the chief minister of Maharashtra, Ramdas Athawale said the Shiv Sena leader also declined the offer of becoming a minister in the central government.
Athawale said the name of the new chief minister could be announced on December 4. He also said that the BJP communicated to Shinde that he would not become the chief minister of Maharashtra.
“I believe in the meeting that is going to take place tomorrow, BJP observers will listen to all the MLAs and the name of Devendra Fadnavis can be announced tomorrow… Eknath Shinde does not have a problem, he has already announced that he is not in the race for the chief minister. The BJP high command has already told him that he will not be made the chief minister. He has alternatives to take the President’s post of Mahayuti or become a central minister but he is not ready for this. He is very nervous,” he said.
Over the past few days, Eknath Shinde has been camping in Satara because of a fever. He was rushed to a hospital today. The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance won the Maharashtra assembly election on November 23. The BJP emerged as the single-largest party. The alliance, however, hasn’t announced its chief minister pick yet. Eknath Shinde last month said he would accept the decision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the chief ministerial post. BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis is the frontrunner for the post.
Eknath Shinde’s party Shiv Sena on Monday said that the assembly polls were contested under the former’s leadership, and it was now up to the BJP’s central leadership to decide on how to maintain his stature. “Our leader has already proven who truly represents the Shiv Sena. Now it is up to Delhi (BJP central leadership) to decide how to maintain his stature. We will not interfere in that decision,” said Shiv Sena leader Deepak Kesarkar said.
He, however, denied reports of discord in the alliance.
“The swearing-in ceremony is scheduled for December 5. But many baseless rumours are being circulated. Eknath Shinde, as the caretaker chief minister, has no role in these delays. The BJP’s internal selection process is their matter. Shinde has already conveyed that he will accept any decision made by them,” he added.
