New Maharashtra CM likely to take oath on December 5

Amid delay in government formation, Eknath Shinde leaves for native village

A day after meeting Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national president J.P. Nadda in New Delhi, where the three Maharashtra Mahayuti leaders were told that the State will get a BJP Chief Minister, caretaker CM and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde left for his native village in Satara on Friday (November 29, 2024).

Six days into the declaration of the Assembly election results, the BJP has not yet called a meeting of its newly elected MLAs nor appointed the party’s Legislature Party leader.

Maharashtra government formation highlights

However, top sources from the BJP and the Shiv Sena told The Hindu that the oath-taking ceremony of the new Chief Minister would likely be held on December 5 at Azad Maidan.

“The BJP follows its party discipline and procedure. Two Central observers will be appointed by the party. They will come to Mumbai and will hold a meeting with the legislators. Once the leader is appointed, we will approach the Governor,” a top BJP source told The Hindu.

All is well, says Sena

Both the Shiv Sena and the BJP gave different reasons for the delay in government formation. “We have already communicated that we are not a hindrance to the selection of the CM. We have openly taken this stance. We have declared our support to the decision of the top leadership of the BJP. So the ball lies in the BJP’s court now,” a top source in the Shiv Sena told The Hindu.

“Everything is going well. All the top leaders are on the same page. The government formation will happen soon. There is no reason for any concern,” Sena leader Uday Samant told reporters on Friday.

A BJP leader said the process of taking everyone on board without hurting anyone was taking time.

There is no official communication as yet from the central leadership of the party about the appointment of two observers for Maharashtra. BJP sources have already indicated that the State would continue to have two Deputy Chief Ministers.

Amid speculation about the formula for distribution of Cabinet berths and the selection of the Chief Minister, several names from the saffron party were being discussed for the top job. Though many leaders said the top choice was Devendra Fadnavis, the possibility of a sudden change was not discarded either.

Asked about the delay in government formation, a senior leader said this was part of the strategy of the BJP, which had adopted a similar stance during the Uttar Pradesh election as well. Proper homework had to be done with respect to caste/community-wise representation, which will help strengthen the party further, particularly in weak areas, a leader said.

Published - November 29, 2024 10:16 pm IST