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Eknath Shinde, who bowed out of the race for Maharashtra's Chief Minister post last week and has been keeping a low profile since, will join the Devendra Fadnavis government as his Deputy, sources have told News Agency. Mr Fadnavis will take oath tomorrow in Mumbai, preparations for which are in progress. There is speculation that two Deputies will take oath alongside - Ajit Pawar has already given a teaser, saying he would also take oath tomorrow.
Mr Fadnavis, who met Governor CP Radhakrishnan today and staked claim to form government, had dropped hints that he has persuaded Mr Shinde to join the government at a meeting last evening.
"Yesterday I requested Eknath Shinde to remain in the cabinet... which I hope he would... The Chief Minister post is just a technical agreement between us... we have been together to take decisions and will continue to do so," he said, expressing "special thanks" to his predecessor in the top post.
"The Chief Minister post is just a technical agreement between us... we have been together to take decisions and will continue to do so," he had added, airbrushing Sena-BJP differences over a matter that created a two-week logjam in the announcement for the top post, oath and subsequent government formation.
Mr Shinde had reciprocated, saying, "Two-and-a-half year ago, Fadnavis recommended my name to become the Chief Minister. This time, we recommend his name to become the Chief Minister".
After declaring that he would not be an "obstacle" to the BJP decision on the top post, Mr Shinde had gone off to his village in Satara. His aides, meanwhile, had kept up the pressure on the government, reiterating their demand for the top post for their boss.
Yesterday, Mr Shinde was admitted in a hospital for what his team called a "routine check-up". Shortly after his return, Mr Fadnavis had visited him in "Varsha" - the official residence of the Chief Minister.
The meeting paved the way for the BJP legislators' meet today where Mr Fadnavis was named as chief, ending the two-week suspense that had drawn Opposition jeers.
Mr Shinde - who was rewarded with the top post in 2022 after he split the Shiv Sena and joined forces with the BJP to form government - had run out of aces this time after the BJP's massive score in the election and Ajit Pawar's prompt decision to support Mr Fadnavis for the top post.
Still, his party leaders claimed that it was the Shinde government's welfare schemes that steered the Mahayuti to victory. Some of his leaders openly questioned why Maharashtra cannot be a second Bihar, where Nitish Kumar heads the government despite the BJP having more seats. Even after Mr Shinde said he would accept the BJP decision for the top post, some leaders of his party continued the political posturing - moves now seen as a pitch for the cream of cabinet berths that include the home ministry.
The BJP appears reluctant to part with the portfolio, which has been so far been handled by Mr Fadnavis. Discussions on contentious top portfolios and cabinet berths are expected to take place after the oath ceremony.
The Mahayuti scored a massive victory in the state polls, winning 230 out of 288 seats in the Assembly. The BJP won 132 seats, the Sena 57 and NCP 41.