Ajit Pawar Confirms BJP Leader As Next CM: Deputy CMs To Be From Shiv Sena, NCP

Mumbai: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Ajit Pawar, on Saturday, cleared the air on the formation of the next Mahayuti government in Maharashtra, saying that it was decided during the meeting that the Chief Minister will be from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), while the other two allies of the alliance will have their Deputy Chief Ministers. Talking to media personnel regarding the meeting held in Delhi, Pawar said, "During the meeting, it was decided that Mahayuti will form the government with the CM from BJP and the remaining two parties will have Deputy CMs." The statement from Pawar came up amidst speculations that Shinde was upset over the portfolio division and travelled to his native village in Satara.

The Mahayuti, which comprises the BJP, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, and the NCP headed by Ajit Pawar, registered a thumping victory in the Maharashtra assembly elections securing a total of 237 out of 288 assembly seats. After the elections, the BJP emerged as the single largest party by winning 132 seats, while the Shiv Sena and NCP won 57 and 41 seats respectively.

NCP chief Ajit Pawar said, "This is not the first time there has been a delay. If you remember, in 1999, one month was taken for government formation." 

Oath-Taking Ceremony To Take Place on December 5: BJP

On Saturday, BJP Maharashtra president Chandrashekhar Bawankule, in a post on X, announced that the oath-taking ceremony of the Mahayuti government will take place on December 5 at Azad Maidan in Mumbai in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. However, he didn't reveal the suspense over, who will take oath as the next chief minister of the state. In a post on X, Bawankule wrote, "The oath-taking ceremony of the Mahayuti government in Maharashtra will be held in the presence of the pride of the world, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji, on Thursday, December 5, 2024, at 5 PM at Azad Maidan, Mumbai."

Earlier, caretaker Chief Minister of Maharashtra Eknath Shinde along with Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national president JP Nadda in Delhi, to discuss the formation of the government. However, after the meeting, CM Shinde suddenly cancelled his meeting with Mahayuti leaders and went to his native village in Satara leaving everyone speculating about his next move. It was claimed that he would make some big announcement from his village. 

However, Shiv Sena leader Uday Samant dismissed these claims, clarifying that Shinde would return soon and that the next cabinet would be finalised shortly.

Meanwhile, reports surfaced that Eknath Shinde, who is visiting his village in Satara, has been suffering from fever and throat infection for the past two days and has been suggested to rest by the doctors. His family doctor mentioned that a team of three to four doctors is treating Eknath Shinde in his native village.

Dr RM Patre, Shinde's family doctor, told ANI, "He is doing fine now. He has been experiencing fever, body pain, throat infection, and cold for the past two days. We have administered antibiotics. A team of three to four doctors is attending to him."