Senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday met caretaker chief minister Eknath Shinde at the CM’s official residence to resolve the deadlock over the allocations of portfolios ahead of the swearing-in of the Mahayuti government on December 5 at Azad Maidan in Mumbai.
Fadnavis is set to be sworn in as CM of Maharashtra once he is chosen as BJP legislative party leader on December 4. He is likely to retain the home ministry while the finance ministry is set to go to Ajit Pawar and urban development to Shinde's Shiv Sena. The posts of revenue minister, speaker and chairman of legislative council are likely to go to the BJP, deputy speaker to the NCP and deputy chairman of the legislative council to the Shiv Sena.
Out of 43 cabinet and minister for state portfolios, the BJP is set to get 21-22, the Shiv Sena 10-12 and the NCP 9-11.
Shinde, who had been unwell, called a meeting of state chief secretary, BMC commissioner and other stakeholders on Tuesday to review the preparations for Dr BR Ambedkar’s death anniversary at the Ambedkar memorial at Dadar. Earlier in the day, senior BJP minister Girish Mahajan met Shinde at his Varsha bungalow before Fadnavis also headed there to meet the caretaker chief minister.
The top leadership of the BJP asked Fadnavis to resolve the portfolio allocation issue with Shinde before the swearing-in ceremony of the Mahayuti government. A day before the swearing-in, the BJP has called a meeting of its newly elected MLAs to choose its legislative party leader who is likely to be sworn in as CM of Maharashtra.
Sources said that Shinde is adamant on getting the home ministry along with the urban development ministry and state assembly speaker post. The BJP had earlier refused to concede the home portfolio to its alliance partner.
“But there is discussion within the BJP that the home ministry can be divided into two parts and each one can be retained by the BJP and Shiv Sena respectively as an amicable solution. The BJP has been urging Shinde to be part of the government by taking the deputy chief minister post along with some key portfolios. However, Shinde has refused to be a part of the government. He does not want to work under probable CM Fadnavis because the latter was his deputy in his earlier government. Shinde may remain outside of the government,” said a senior BJP leader requesting anonymity.
Earlier in the day, Shinde was admitted to the Jupiter Hospital in Thane and several tests were carried out. The hospital informed that all parameters of Shinde are normal.
Sources in the Shiv Sena said that if it did not get key portfolios, it will think twice before participating in the new Mahayuti government. Earlier, in the Delhi meeting, Shinde has already hinted at extending outside support if the deadlock over portfolio allocations is not resolved.
The BJP has invited 10,000 Ladki Bahenas, 1000 farmers and 400 Hindu saints for the swearing-in ceremony of the new chief minister and Mahayuti government. The ceremony at 5.00 pm on December 5 at the historic Azad Maidan will be attended by PM Narendra Modi, several union ministers and BJP chief ministers as well.