Maharashtra caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis and NCP leader Ajit Pawar met Union Home Minister Amit Shah at his residence in Delhi on Thursday night in an effort to end the deadlock over who would assume the state’s top post following the NDA’s landslide victory in the Assembly elections. However, no decision was reached during the two-hour meeting that ended at midnight.
The meeting primarily revolved around cabinet berth allocations. BJP President JP Nadda was also a part of the meeting, which Shinde described as good and positive and said another meeting would happen in Mumbai. Fadnavis, on the other hand, expressed his gratitude to Amit Shah for inspiring BJP workers, which helped in the NDA’s stunning performance in Maharashtra.
“Expressed my gratitude to Union Minister Amitbhai Shah for his huge support on the battlefield during the important Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha Elections 2024 and for the way he greatly inspired and motivated the karyakartas (party workers). On this occasion, our BJP National President JP Nadda ji, Eknath Shinde ji, Ajit Pawar, Mahayuti leaders, colleagues were present too, in Delhi,” Fadnavis tweeted.
The Mahayuti alliance, comprising the BJP, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar’s NCP, secured a historic win on November 23, clinching 230 of the 288 seats in the Assembly.
The BJP emerged as the largest party with a record 132 seats, while the Shiv Sena and NCP secured 57 and 41 seats, respectively. Despite the sweeping mandate, the allies have struggled to finalise a consensus on the next Chief Minister.
The BJP is looking to accommodate around 20 ministers, with the Sena expected to receive a larger share than the NCP. Specific portfolios were not discussed during the meeting, but another round of talks is scheduled to take place via phone on Friday, sources said.
Shinde is expected to remain in Delhi for further discussions, while Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar have returned to Mumbai, with video surfacing showing the leaders reaching the Delhi airport following the meeting. The swearing-in ceremony is likely to take place on December 2 or December 5, preceded by a BJP legislative party meeting, sources added.