Amid mounting speculation over the Maharashtra Chief Minister’s post, caretaker CM Eknath Shinde on Friday canceled all his appointments, as confirmed by Shiv Sena spokesperson Manisha Kayande. This development follows the crucial meeting held on Thursday in Delhi, where Shinde, BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis, and NCP’s Ajit Pawar met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP President JP Nadda. The meeting focused on finalizing the power-sharing arrangement and the allocation of key Cabinet positions for the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra.
While the BJP is set to claim the Chief Minister’s post, Shah reportedly gave his approval for appointing two Deputy Chief Ministers—one from the Shiv Sena and one from the NCP. These decisions are expected to be formalized in the next round of talks.
Shinde, speaking after the meeting, described the discussions as “good and positive.” He added that the final decision on the Chief Minister’s position would likely be made at a subsequent meeting, which will take place in Mumbai. “The meeting was productive. Another meeting will be held in Mumbai, where the decision regarding the Chief Minister will be finalized,” Shinde said.
The ongoing uncertainty over the CM’s post follows the Maharashtra Assembly election results, which were declared on November 23. The BJP emerged as the largest party with 132 seats in the 280-member Assembly, while its allies—the Shiv Sena (under Shinde’s leadership) and the NCP (led by Pawar)—won 57 and 41 seats, respectively. Despite their majority, the alliance has yet to announce its choice for Chief Minister, leading to continued suspense within the political circles. The power-sharing arrangement and the final decision on the CM post are expected to be settled soon, with the swearing-in ceremony scheduled for next week.