Shrikant Shinde rejects reports of Deputy Chief Minister’s post amid deadlock

Shiv Sena MP and son of Maharashtra caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday rejected reports of a demand for the Deputy Chief Minister post for him. The MP called the reports baseless rumours and said he is not in any race for any ministerial post in Maharashtra.
His comments came as the deadlock over government formation and the chief minister’s post in Maharashtra continues even after 10 days of the Assembly session, which offered a resounding victory for the BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP alliance.
“The swearing-in ceremony of the Maha-Yuti government has been delayed, which has led to a surge in discussions and rumours. Hon caretaker Chief Minister Shri Eknath Shinde had to take rest at his native place for two days due to health issues. As a result, the rumours have only intensified. There have been speculations about me becoming the Deputy Chief Minister, but these news reports are baseless and unfounded,” he tweeted.
The 37-year-old Shiv Sena leader said he had the opportunity to take up a ministerial position in the central government after the Lok Sabha elections, but he declined the offer, considering the work for the party organisation.
“I have no desire for any position in the government. I am not a part of any race for a ministerial post in the state government, and I would like to clarify this once again. I will continue to work diligently for my Lok Sabha constituency and for the Shiv Sena party,” Shinde stressed.
Shrikant Shinde’s name emerged in discussions as a contender for the Deputy Chief Minister post after the party said that Eknath Shinde would not be accepting the position. However, party sources indicated that Shiv Sena is pushing for key portfolios, including the Home Ministry, along with the Deputy Chief Minister post, which could be offered to Shrikant Shinde.
On Sunday, Eknath Shinde also rejected the speculation, saying that the discussions are still going on.
“Discussions are still going on, and many people say different things. Mainly, journalists hold these kinds of discussions. We had a meeting with Amit Shah, and another meeting will be held in Mumbai between me, Ajit Pawar, and Devendra Fadnavis. We will discuss things in detail, and then decisions will be finalised,” he told reporters.
Meanwhile, the deadlock over the next Maharashtra Chief Minister continues unresolved even after 10 days of the results, as Eknath Shinde cancelled his meetings today due to being unwell. Meanwhile, his alliance partner and NCP leader Ajit Pawar headed to Delhi to meet with top BJP leadership over government formation.
Eknath Shinde, who held a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi on Thursday, went to his hometown Satara without taking the talks further in Mumbai. His party claimed that the caretaker Chief Minister is unwell.
The Mahayuti alliance swept the assembly elections, winning 233 out of 288 seats. The BJP emerged as the largest party with a record 132 seats, while Shiv Sena and NCP also strengthened their positions, securing 57 and 41 seats, respectively. However, the alliance is yet to reach a consensus on who will be the next Chief Minister.