Shinde, Pawar Dy CMs; Sena wants home
Devendra Fadnavis. (File)
MUMBAI: The BJP on Saturday announced that the swearing-in of the Maharashtra Chief Minister and his Cabinet will take place on December 5 in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Though there is no official announcement, it is learnt that Devendra Fadnavis will get the post while outgoing CM Eknath Shinde and NCP leader Ajit Pawar will join his Cabinet as Deputy Chief Ministers.
State BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule declared on his X handle, “The oath-taking ceremony of the Mahayuti government in Maharashtra will be held on Thursday, December 5 at 5 pm at Azad Maidan, Mumbai. It will be held in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”
Meanwhile, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena openly demanded the home department, which the saffron party is not ready to leave at any cost. A senior BJP leader said that the party is ready to give the urban development
department to the Shiv Sena but not the home department.
Speaking with the reporters, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Shirsat said that they will insist on the home department once the Chief Minister is announced by the BJP. “When the CM’s post was with us, we gave the home department to the BJP. It should be the same this time. A dashing leader should be made the home minister, who can handle the law and order situation in the state,” Shirsat said.
Ajit Pawar denied that the government formation has been delayed due to differences among the Mahayuti partners over Cabinet portfolios. “This is not the first time that there has been a delay. It took a month to form a government in 1999 as well. After taking the oath, the new chief minister will take a decision on allocating portfolios or who should hold the home ministry,” he said.
BJP sources said that the party will call a meeting of newly elected MLAs on Monday or Tuesday in Mumbai depending on the appointment of party observers for Maharashtra. The leader of the BJP legislative party will be elected in the meeting, who will stake the claim to form the government.
“The party is likely to appoint defence minister Rajnath Singh as observer to oversee the meeting,” a BJP source said.
Earlier in the day, Maharashtra BJP chief Bawankule held an online meeting of the new MLAs and indicated to them about the Chief Minister, stating that “all of us know the name”.
Meanwhile, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena openly demanded the home department, which the saffron party is not ready to leave at any cost. A senior BJP leader said that the party is ready to give the urban development
department to the Shiv Sena but not the home department.
Speaking with the reporters, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Shirsat said that they will insist on the home department once the Chief Minister is announced by the BJP. “When the CM’s post was with us, we gave the home department to the BJP. It should be the same this time. A dashing leader should be made the home minister, who can handle the law and order situation in the state,” Shirsat said.
Ajit Pawar denied that the government formation has been delayed due to differences among the Mahayuti partners over Cabinet portfolios. “This is not the first time that there has been a delay. It took a month to form a government in 1999 as well. After taking the oath, the new chief minister will take a decision on allocating portfolios or who should hold the home ministry,” he said.
BJP sources said that the party will call a meeting of newly elected MLAs on Monday or Tuesday in Mumbai depending on the appointment of party observers for Maharashtra. The leader of the BJP legislative party will be elected in the meeting, who will stake the claim to form the government.
“The party is likely to appoint defence minister Rajnath Singh as observer to oversee the meeting,” a BJP source said.
Earlier in the day, Maharashtra BJP chief Bawankule held an online meeting of the new MLAs and indicated to them about the Chief Minister, stating that “all of us know the name”.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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