Nirmala Sitharaman, ex-Gujarat CM Rupani to be BJP's central observers for Maharashtra amid CM suspense

By Gargi Chaudhry | First Published Dec 2, 2024, 4:07 PM IST

The BJP has appointed central observers for the Maharashtra legislature party meeting where MLAs will choose their leader, likely the next CM. The meeting, scheduled for December 4th, follows the Mahayuti alliance's significant election victory, securing 230 out of 288 seats.

The Bharatiya Janata Party appointed Union finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani on Monday as central observers for the Maharashtra legislature party meeting. During this meeting, the MLAs will select their leader, who is expected to become the state's next chief minister. The BJP's legislature party meeting will be held on December 4, where the MLAs will elect their leader, who is likely to be the state's next chief minister.

The Mahayuti alliance secured 230 out of 288 assembly seats, with the BJP winning 132 seats, Shiv Sena claiming 57, and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP taking 41 seats.

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Though the party has made no announcement, former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, the deputy chief minister in the outgoing government, is being seen as the frontrunner for the key position. Following the overwhelming election triumph, the BJP is moving carefully as the ambitions of its partners, especially the Shiv Sena, have increased. Certain allied leaders have voiced different opinions in spite of Shinde's efforts to bring the Mahayuti together.

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According to Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule, the new Mahayuti government's swearing-in ceremony is scheduled for December 5 evening at the Azad Maidan in south Mumbai. Prior to the ceremony, BJP MLAs will convene to elect their leader.

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Srikant Shinde, a Shiv Sena MP and son of Maharashtra's caretaker chief minister Eknath Shinde, dismissed rumours on Monday regarding his potential appointment as deputy chief minister in the new state government, labelling such claims as untrue and unfounded. Through a statement on X, the parliamentarian revealed that he had declined an opportunity for a ministerial position at the Centre following the Lok Sabha elections earlier this year, expressing his preference to dedicate his efforts towards strengthening the party organisation.

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