Eknath Shinde heads to native village after arriving from Delhi: Suspense over Maharashtra CM | Mumbai News

NEW DELHI: Eknath Shinde, who returned to Mumbai from New Delhi on Friday morning is traveling to his native village in Satara district amid ongoing suspense over his successor, a week after the Maharashtra assembly poll results.
Shinde had told reporters in New Delhi late Thursday night that the next meeting of the Mahayuti alliance on government formation would be held in Mumbai on Friday.
However, the caretaker CM is now traveling to his native village Dare in Satara district in western Maharashtra, with the meeting now expected to take place on Sunday, according to sources.
The Shiv Sena leader has repeatedly stated that he would not be an obstacle in government formation and would abide by the decisions taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah regarding the next chief minister.
Different viewpoints are emerging within the Shiv Sena regarding Shinde’s role in the next government, which will be headed by the BJP, the largest constituent in the Mahayuti alliance that achieved a resounding victory in the recently concluded assembly elections.
Many leaders in the Shiv Sena are urging Shinde to accept the deputy chief minister’s post if offered by the BJP. However, another faction believes it would not be appropriate for him to accept the No. 2 position after serving as the chief minister for more than two-and-a-half years, sources said.
“The government formation process will start after the BJP announces its legislature party leader,” they said.
During his Delhi trip, Shinde had met Shah and discussed formation of the next government in the state. His deputies in the outgoing state cabinet Devendra Fadnavis (BJP) and Ajit Pawar (NCP) had also met the senior BJP leader.
Talking to reporters in the national capital, Shinde called the discussion “good and positive”.
(With inputs from agencies)