NEW DELHI: Union minister Ramadas Athawale, who is an NDA ally, backed Devendra Fadnavis for the Maharashtra CM post, saying the BJP leader should be given opportunity to become the chief minister again.
The Republican Party of India (Athawale) leader, however, said he would accept the BJP high command’s decision on the matter.
“The RPI (A), which is a BJP ally, feels Devendra Fadnavis should get an opportunity to become the Chief Minister again. However, if the high command decides to make Eknath Shinde the CM, we will back it,” Athawale told reporters.
A day earlier, Athawale had suggested that Shinde could become the deputy chief minister or shift to the Centre and join the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He also said that despite serving as the chief minister between 2014 and 2019, Fadnavis had accepted the post of deputy CM in the Mahayuti government under Eknath Shinde.
Earlier in the day, the caretaker chief minister Shinde made it clear that he had assured PM Modi of abiding by whatever decision the BJP takes on the CM face “without being a hindrance”.
Even Fadnavis, when asked about the new Maharashtra CM face, said that the answer would be given soon and a decision was being taken on the same.
Fadnavis, who is BJP’s Maharastra face, is expected to meet the top brass in an effort to resolve the impasse among Mahayuti over the CM post in New Delhi.
The BJP-led Mahayuti won a landslide victory in the Maharashtra Assembly elections winning 230 seats in the 288-member House. The BJP won 132 seats, followed by the Shinde-led Shiv Sena (57) and Ajit Pawar-led NCP (41). Smaller parties, who are part of the alliance, won five seats.
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