Devendra Fadnavis expected to hold talks with Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena rebels

|HT|

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Devendra Fadnavis is expected to hold talks with Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena rebels before they are likely to stake the claim for forming the next government in Maharashtra on Thursday or Friday, people aware of the matter said. Uddhav Thackeray resigned as the chief minister on Wednesday after the Supreme Court refused to stall a floor test that the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) appeared set to lose. The resignation brought down the curtain on the MVA government and shifted the focus to the BJP as it is set to form the next government with the support of 39 rebel Sena lawmakers.

The people cited above said BJP and the Shinde group, which is in Goa, are scheduled to hold a series of meetings related to the government formation. A BJP leader said no final decision has been taken over when to stake the claim and that it depends on the final nod from the central leadership after a power-sharing pact is finalised with the Shinde camp. “The legislative party meeting, election of the leader are just formalities which can take place any time. Since the leader of Opposition [Fadnavis] leads the party in the assembly, there will not be a formal need to choose the leader again,” said a BJP leader, requesting anonymity. Another BJP leader said Fadnavis’s swearing-in is expected to take place on Saturday and the formalities will be finalised over the next two days.

The Shinde faction, who was scheduled to arrive in Mumbai for the floor test on Thursday, is expected to hold a meeting in Goa over their next move and the power-sharing deal with the BJP.

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said they will work as a responsible Opposition party. “The new government must work for the people and like them and we will not pull down this government,” said Raut, who is due to appear before the Enforcement Directorate for questioning on Friday.

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