Last time, Fadnavis recommended my name, now I returned gesture: Shinde
After staking claim to form government, Fadnavis told the media that he had met Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde and requested him to remain in cabinet;
After Devendra Fadnavis, Chief Minister-elect of Maharashtra, met Governor CP Radhakrishnan on Wednesday (December 4) and staked the claim to form the government, he shared that he had met Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde and requested him to remain in the cabinet.
Further, he added that Shinde has agreed to be a part of the government.
Shinde, who was a contender for the CM’s post, had gone off to his village in Satara after declaring he would not be an "obstacle" to BJP choosing the chief minister.
Shinde and Fadnavis, who met the media after their meeting with the Maharashtra governor, played down the two-week delay in the naming of the Chief Minister. The delay had led to a lot of jeering and criticism from the Opposition parties.
Also read: Maharashtra BJP legislature party elects Fadnavis as leader; paves way for him to be CM
Technical agreement
Fadnavis told the media that yesterday he had requested Eknath Shinde to remain in the cabinet.
“The Chief Minister's post is just a technical agreement between us... we have been together to take decisions and will continue to do so," he added, not before giving a ‘special thanks’ to Shinde.
Meanwhile, Shinde said that two-and-a-half years ago, Fadnavis had recommended his name to become the Chief Minister.
“This time, we recommend his name to become the Chief Minister," said Shinde, who was admitted to a hospital last evening for what his team called a "routine check-up".
Also watch: Sulking Shinde, stubborn BJP | Maharashtra stalemate continues
End to suspense
A key BJP meet was held today, in which Fadnavis was named for the top position putting an end to the long-drawn suspense over the identity of the Chief Minister for the past two weeks.
Though the BJP bagged the maximum seats of 132 seats in the NDA alliance getting a bigger tally than Shiv Sena and NCP (Ajit Pawar) in the Maharashtra elections, the Shinde's faction were pushing for a second innings for their chief. While the BJP felt the chief minister’s post should go to them.
However, the Sena claimed that it was the Shinde government's welfare schemes that had steered the Mahayuti alliance to victory. Despite Shinde accepting BJP's decision on the matter, some of his party leaders wanted him to take over the top post.
Also watch: As Maharashtra watches and waits for its CM, what's causing the delay?
Oath ceremony on December 5
Fadnavis, who was accompanied by allies Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar for the BJP meeting today, said that they have submitted a claim to form a new cabinet in the state as per the rules.
“After the governor accepted the claim, we have been given the time for the oath ceremony on December 5 at 5.30 pm, which will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi," Fadnavis said.
The members of the cabinet and their portfolios will be decided at the meeting this evening, he added.