Eknath Shinde, the chief minister of Maharashtra, will meet with the BJP hierarchy on Saturday in Delhi, according to reports. As there were reports of turmoil in the Shinde-led Shiv Sena earlier this month over Ajit Pawar’s admission into the cabinet, the’sudden’ journey to the capital has aroused new rumors.
Shinde put an end to rumors that his faction’s leaders disapproved of Ajit Pawar’s NCP entering the cabinet earlier in July. Nobody in his administration is dissatisfied with Pawar’s membership in the state cabinet, he had said.
Shinde continued, calling it “rumours spread by the opposition,” and adding that it raises the possibility that his position as chief minister may be in peril given that Ajit Pawar and eight other NCP MLAs joined his state administration, which he has held for a year.
This happened after several Shiv Sena lawmakers voiced worries over the NCP group, headed by Ajit Pawar, entering the state administration. However, Shinde later presided over a meeting with the Shiv Sena MPs, MLCs, and MLAs.
After Pawar made comments expressing his desire to become the chief minister, the political establishment became angry.
The Assembly Speaker’s decision on the disqualification complaint against its MLAs was still pending when this comment was made, which made the Shinde group anxious.
However, during the upheaval, Maharashtra minister Uday Samant had brushed off and labeled as “false” the reports of Shinde’s departure.
With the backing of over 30 NCP MLAs, eight of whom were appointed to CM Eknath Shinde’s cabinet, NCP leader Ajit Pawar took the oath of office as the second deputy chief minister of Maharashtra on July 2.
