Devendra Fadnavis might be the new Chief Minister and Eknath Shinde is likely to be his deputy.
A day after Uddhav Thackeray quit as Maharashtra Chief Minister, Shiv Sena rebels may meet with the Governor after discussions today in Goa, where they arrived last night. The BJP claims they have support of over 170 MLAs to form the new government.
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Sena rebel Eknath Shinde, who triggered the crisis in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government by breaking off a majority of party MLAs and touring BJP-ruled states across the country, left his Goa hotel and is reportedly headed to Mumbai along with Maharashtra BJP MLA Ravindra Chavan while the rest of the rebel MLAs stay behind.
Sources say he will meet state BJP leaders including former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to discuss portfolios for the new government and then head to the Raj Bhawan to meet the Governor.
Security forces have been deployed at Sena founder Bal Thackeray's Smriti Sthal (memorial) in large numbers as Eknath Shinde is expected to seek blessings before forming a new government, sources say.
"There has been no discussion yet with the BJP about the details of ministerial posts, but it will happen soon. Until then, please don't believe the ministerial lists and rumours about it," Mr Shinde said in a tweet. The BJP won't yet claim to form a new government, say sources. However, BJP leader Girish Mahajan has said they have the support of over 170 MLAs and will form the government in the next three days.
Devendra Fadnavis, who met the Governor Tuesday evening and set off the end game, is being projected as a contender for the top post in the state. The Maharashtra BJP tweeted a video clip of a speech in Marathi by Mr Fadnavis. The accompanying caption, also in Marathi, read, "I will come again. For the creation of a new Maharashtra! Jai Maharashtra". Eknath Shinde is likely to be Mr Fadnavis's deputy, according to sources.
A heated battle over claim to the Shiv Sena is also underway as the rebel camp hasn't yet indicated any intention of breaking away and merging with the BJP, or even forming a new party. They say they are the real Shiv Sena and that the Thackeray-led group is a small minority, pushing for a renewed alliance with the BJP. There are speculations they might try to negotiate with the Thackeray camp.
MLA Deepak Kesarkar, the spokesman of the rebel faction, on Wednesday said the resignation of Uddhav Thackeray "is not a matter of joy for us". The rift, he indicated, was a fallout of the party's alliance with Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress. He also underscored the role of Sena leader Sanjay Raut -- whose increasing prominence, according to some party insiders, had made rebel leader Eknath Shinde uncomfortable.
Uddhav Thackeray submitted his resignation to Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari at Raj Bhavan in Mumbai on Wednesday shortly after the Supreme Court ruled that his government has to take a floor test at 11 am on Thursday as ordered by the Governor. The Governor accepted the resignation and asked him to officiate as Chief Minister until alternate arrangements are made. With his resignation, the test for a majority on the assembly floor is now void.
"I am resigning as the Chief Minister. I don't want a hand in the blood of Shiv Sainiks that may be spilled tomorrow," Mr Thackeray said during the Facebook live address last evening where he announced his resignation. "Those whom we promoted and built up, they are the ones who have betrayed us," he added in a direct hit at the rebels.
Team Thackeray, shrinking to 15-odd MLAs following Mr Shinde's rebellion, had asked the court to cancel the Governor's order asking them to prove a majority on the floor of the assembly. The rebellion by Eknath Shinde and 50 MLAs supporting him -- 40 of them from the Shiv Sena -- has effectively ended the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance government.
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