Eknath Shinde resigns as Maharashtra CM in suspense over next leadership

The governor asked Shinde to continue as caretaker chief minister until a new government is sworn in.

In a significant political development, Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde on Tuesday resigned as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra following the result of the recently concluded assembly elections. Shinde submitted his resignation to Governor CP Radhakrishnan at Raj Bhavan, Mumbai. The governor asked Shinde to continue as caretaker chief minister until a new government is sworn in.

The deputy CMs are also resigning

Deputy Chief Ministers Ajit Pawar and Devendra Fadnavis tendered their resignations earlier in the day, signaling the transition to new leadership. The timing coincides with the end of the term of the current Maharashtra assembly on November 26, adding urgency to the formation of the next government.

Election results and Alliance power

The Mahayuti alliance comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) and NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) won a landslide victory, winning 232 of the 288 assembly seats. Under the alliance, BJP emerged as the single largest party with 132 seats, followed by Shiv Sena with 57 seats and NCP with 41.

Meanwhile, the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) – a coalition of the Congress, NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) and Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction) – struggled, managing to win only 49 seats in total.

Race for the Chief Minister’s seat

With the emergence of the BJP as the dominant party in the alliance, the race for the post of Chief Minister intensified. BJP leaders are advocating for Devendra Fadnavis to regain the top position, citing the party’s decisive victory in the elections.

However, Shiv Sena’s Eknath Shinde, who served as chief minister, has the support of a significant faction within the alliance. The Shiv Sena is keen to see Shinde continue in the role, creating an impasse in leadership talks.

Ajit Pawar Faction supports Fadnavis

In a crucial turn of events, the Ajit Pawar-led faction of the NCP expressed its support for Fadnavis to assume the post of chief minister. During a key meeting held on Sunday, Ajit Pawar and his legislative team backed Fadnavis, favoring stability and cohesion within the alliance.

Senior level discussions

Fadnavis is expected to meet Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president JP Nadda in Delhi to finalize the leadership structure and government formation. This meeting could play a decisive role in resolving the impasse and announcing the next Chief Minister of Maharashtra.

As the political drama unfolds, all eyes are on the decision of the Mahayuti alliance. The coming days will be crucial in shaping Maharashtra’s governance as the new leadership will have to balance electoral mandates, coalition dynamics and governance priorities in the state.

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