MUMBAI: Maharashtra caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is still sticking to the compromise formula he offered to Union Home Minister Amit Shah on November 29 if the BJP wanted the CM post, say Shiv Sena sources.
Shinde, Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar had met Shah to discuss power sharing after the Mahayuti won 230 seats in the 288-member state assembly.
The sources said Shinde told Shah then that as the assembly election was fought under his leadership, women voters, Marathas and OBCs voted for the Mahayuti due to the Ladli Bahena scheme, reservation decision and co-operative boards set up for various communities respectively.
“Shinde said people hence voted with the expectation that he will be the next chief minister of Maharashtra, adding that if he is not made the chief minister, the wrong message will be sent to these sections of the society. He also showed a couple of surveys where he was the main choice of the people as chief minister,” said a senior Shiv Sena leader who requested anonymity.
He further added that the BJP leadership in the meeting said that as it won 132 seats, it will be unfair if the next CM was not from the party.
“Shinde then asked for the home, finance and revenue portfolios to balance the power in the state if Fadnavis is elevated as chief minister. He said that he would then decide whom to make the deputy chief minister. Shah subsequently directed all three leaders of Mahayuti to meet again in Mumbai and get back to him,” said the source.
Shinde further said if these three portfolios could not be given to the Sena, then his party will not be part of the government. "He said that the Shiv Sena will extend outside support in the state and the seven Lok Sabha MPs of the party will also support the Narendra Modi government from outside for the larger Hindutva cause," added the source.
The latest on Monday is that Shinde is staying at his residence in Thane recovering from a throat infection and fever, according to sources.
