Devendra Fadnavis all but certain to become new Maharashtra CM; official announcement tomorrow

GUWAHATI, Dec 3: BJP leader and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is all but certain to become chief minister of the State for the third time with an official announcement likely to be made tomorrow after the BJP legislature party elects its leader.

The BJP had on Monday named Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani as central observers for tomorrow’s BJP legislature party meeting.

The new government is reported to take oath on Thursday (Dec 5).

Meanwhile, Eknath Shinde’s son Shrikant has refuted speculation that he will be made deputy chief minister. Shrikant on Monday said let alone becoming deputy chief minister he is “not in the race for any ministerial position in the state.”

The Mahayuti won 230 seats in the 288-member assembly in the results declared on November 23. The BJP bagged a massive 132 seats, while the Eknath Shinde faction of Shiv Sena got 57 and NCP’s Ajit Pawar faction won 41 seats.