Tuesday, December 3, 2024

Maharashtra: ‘Happy and satisfied’, Shiv Sena’s Eknath Shinde extends support to Mahayuti, says ‘no problem with anybody chosen for CM post’

After the Mahayuti Alliance led by the BJP obtained a massive win in the recently happened assembly polls, the name of the Chief Minister is yet to be announced, leading to wild speculations in the media. While initially, the trio said that they would sit together and decide on the candidate for the prime position, several Shiv Sena leaders demanded that they wanted former CM Eknath Shinde to continue holding the position. The Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) leaders stated that Shinde was the natural claimant for being an architect of the MahaYuti’s stellar performance in the state Assembly election.

Amid this Shinde addressed a press meeting on Wednesday, 27th November, and clarified that he had no problem with anybody from the alliance becoming the next Chief Minister. He said that he talked to Home Minister Amit Shah and PM Modi and asserted that he and his party were in full support of the BJP.

“Mahayuti has obtained a huge win and all our lovely sisters (Ladki Bahin) and farmers have showcased their trust in us. This in itself is huge. We have worked only for the past 2.5 years but have executed schemes that were not even on the table in the past 10 years. This is Mahayuti’s win and not any single party’s win. And this will continue,” Shinde said.

“We have talked to the top leaders of the alliance and extended full support. We have told them that we have no problem with anybody becoming the Chief Minister. Whatever decision regarding the post of CM will be taken by the top leadership and will be accepted by each and every member of Shiv Sena (Shinde faction). The alliance will face no problem because of us,” he added.

Shinde further said that he just wanted to work for the betterment of the state and that he never had any intentions to be in power. He reiterated that when his party needed support, the Mahayuti alliance led by the BJP stood behind him. Now he said that it was his turn to be a true loyalist.

After this, BJP leader Chandrashekhar Bavankule addressed the press meeting and lauded Shinde for trusting the Central leadership. “BJP has always followed what the Central leadership has ordered. Today Shinde also followed the same and proved his loyalty and trust towards the leader. We congratulate him,” Bavankule said.

In Maharashtra, BJP won 132 seats, Shiv Sena, led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, won 57 seats, and the NCP, led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, won 41 seats.

The state has 288 assembly seats. The constituents of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) suffered a rude jolt with Shiv Sena (UBT) led by Uddhav Thackeray winning 20 seats, Congress 16, and NCP (SCP) led by Sharad Pawar only 10 seats.

The BJP saw a fabulous strike rate with the party winning 133 of the 148 seats it contested in Maharashtra. The party’s allies Shiv Sena and NCP also saw a very good strike rate. The assembly elections in Maharashtra were held on November 20.