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Maharashtra government formation: Shrikant Shinde has come out and refuted the reports of he being in race for the Deputy CM post.
Eknath Shinde and Shrikant Shinde (PTI Image)
Maharashtra government formation: Caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s son Shrikant Shinde on Monday put the speculations of him being in the race for the Deputy Chief Minister post in Maharashtra to rest, terming the reports as “baseless”.
He said that he has no desire for power and he is dedicated to working in his Lok Sabha constituency.
Shrikant Shinde Refutes Reports Of Him Being In Deputy CM Race
“The swearing-in ceremony of the Mahayuti government has been delayed a bit, leading to widespread rumors and speculation. Caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde took two days off to rest due to health issues, which further fueled these rumors. For the past two days, there have been reports suggesting that I will become the Deputy Chief Minister, but these claims are completely baseless and without any truth,” he posted on X, amid suspense over the CM and Deputy CM faces in the state.
He said that he had an opportunity to secure a Central Cabinet berth after the Lok Sabha Elections, however, he declined it to “focus on party organisation”.
महायुतीच्या सरकारचा शपथविधी थोडा लांबल्यामुळे सध्या चर्चा आणि अफवा यांचे पीक फोफावले आहे. काळजीवाहू मुख्यमंत्री मा. श्री एकनाथ शिंदे यांनी प्रकृती अस्वास्थ्यामुळे दोन दिवस गावी जाऊन विश्रांती घेतली. त्यामुळे अफवांना अधिकच बहर आला. मी उपमुख्यमंत्री होणार अशा बातम्या प्रश्नचिन्हे…— Dr Shrikant Lata Eknath Shinde (@DrSEShinde) December 2, 2024
“I have no desire for power or positions in government. I want to clarify once again that I am not in the race for any ministerial position in the state government. My focus remains on working diligently for my Lok Sabha constituency and the Shiv Sena party,” he said.
What Are The Speculations In Maharashtra?
As the formation of the new Maharashtra government gets dragged into the first week of December, even though the term for the previous Assembly ended on November 26, speculations were rife about Eknath Shinde being upset with the way the new government was shaping up.
It was also rumoured that Shinde was pushing for his son to be named the Deputy CM. Shiv Sena was reportedly also willing to bag the Home Ministry. However, reports suggested that the BJP did not want to lose the key Home department.
The BJP sources later confirmed that Eknath Shinde will be the Deputy Chief Minister in the new administration while a formal announcement on the CM name is yet to be made.
The swearing-in ceremony will take place at 5 pm on December 5 at Azad Maidan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also be present on the occasion.
