Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena Checkmates BJP In Maharashtra CM Battle With Bihar Gambit

Maharashtra CM Battle: State minister Deepak Kesarkar also met Shinde at the latter's residence in Mumbai on Sunday and batted for his continuation as CM.

Maharashtra Government Formation: It has been three days and the Mahayuti is yet to reach a consensus on the Chief Minister's face after registering a thumping majority in Maharashtra. The formation of a new government in the state has thus been delayed as Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena has been insisting that he be allowed to remain the CM. What is interesting is that the Shiv Sena is drawing a Bihar parallel to get the CM post.

In Bihar, the BJP has allowed Nitish Kumar to remain the Chief Minister despite the JDU having fewer MLAs compared to the BJP. Now, Shiv Sena spokesperson Naresh Mhaske has cited the Bihar model to assert that Shinde should continue as the chief minister. "We feel Shinde should be the chief minister, just like in Bihar where BJP did not look at the numbers but still made JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar the CM. Senior leaders of the Mahayuti (in Maharashtra) will ultimately take a decision," said Mhaske.

Maharashtra minister Deepak Kesarkar also met Shinde at the latter's residence in Mumbai on Sunday and batted for his continuation as CM. "Shiv Sena MLAs feel Shinde should continue in the post because under his leadership the Mahayuti worked very well and performed spectacularly in polls," Kesarkar told reporters.

However, BJP MLC Pravin Darekar batted for Devendra Fadnavis for the CM's post, saying the deputy chief minister is the most capable candidate to lead the state. In a boost for the BJP, Ajit Pawar-led NCP has already supported Fadnavis' candidature for the CM post, thus spelling trouble for the Sena's CM ambitions.

The Mahayuti has won 230 seats and has the support of two more MLAs - Shivaji Patil a BJP rebel who won as an independent and Gutte Ratnakar Manikrao, Rashtriya Samaj Paksha's lone MLA backed by the Mahayuti in the polls. Thus the total strength of the Mahayuti is 232. The BJP has won 132 seats alone, 13 short of the majority mark of 145. The BJP is capable of forming a government with the support of the NCP which has 41 MLAs, in case, Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena chooses to go the Uddhav way. 

Shinde's Shiv Sena has bagged 57 seats while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi has won 48 seats. Even if Shinde joins hands with MVA, it won't be able to form a government as it will fall short by 40 seats. In that case, it might need the support of the NCP-Ajit Pawar faction. CM Shinde is likely to resign today and will continue as caretaker CM until a new CM takes the oath. The oath-taking ceremony date will be decided after the Mahayuti leaders reach a consensus on the CM post. 

On the other hand, the BJP leaders and MLAs have also staked claim to the CM post saying Devendra Fadnavis should become the CM once again.