Eknath Shinde will not accept Deputy Chief Minster's post: Shiv Sena

Mumbai: The BJP’s ally in Maharashtra, Shiv Sena, on Wednesday made pitch for its leader Eknath Shinde to the post of Chief Minister saying that the leader will not accept the post of Deputy Chief Minister.

Speaking to India Today TV, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Shirsat attributed the BJP-led Mahayuti’s resounding victory in Assembly polls to the alliance fighting the polls in the name of Eknath Shinde.

‘The Assembly elections were fought in the name of Eknath Shinde. He deserves to return as the Chief Minister. He will not accept the position of the Deputy Chief Minister,’ Sanjay Shirsat was quoted as saying.

Sanjay Shirsat suggested that fulfilling his party’s demand would send a good message to the people, thus ‘Future elections will prove to be beneficial for us if Shinde is the Chief Minister’.

The Mahayuti coalition, made up by the Shinde Sena, BJP and Ajit Pawar-led NCP, returned to power winning 230 of the 288 seats with the BJP emerging as the strongest winning 132 seats leaving 57 to Shiv Sena and 41 to NCP.

The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) was reduced to 46 seats, with the Shiv Sena (UBT) pulling off 20, Congress 10 and Sharad Pawar-led NCP 10.

Buoyed by its best performance in the state, the BJP is aiming to secure the top post for its leader Fadnavis; however, NCP’s Ajit Pawar has also emerged as a hopeful for the post.

Meanwhile, Union Minister Ram Athawale suggested that Shinde could move to the Centre, allowing Fadnavis to occupy the chief minister’s post.

Responding to it, Sanjay Shirsat asked the union minister to carry on with the politics at the Centre, leaving ‘the politics of Maharashtra to us’.

It is reported that Shinde Sena was promised the Chief Ministerial post if the alliance secures majority in the Assembly polls.

After Eknath Shinde resigned as Chief Minister, Governor CP Radhakrishnan has directed him to continue as the caretaker chief minister until the new government takes over.