Mumbai: Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule dismissed the ongoing speculations surrounding the Chief Ministership of Eknath Shinde, asserting that he will continue to lead the state. Bawankule accused opposition parties of intentionally creating confusion to undermine the government’s stability.
Bawankule, while addressing the media, highlighted the unanimous support for Shinde within the party. He stated, “All our senior leaders, including Devendra Fadnavis, have unequivocally stated that Eknath Shinde will remain as the Chief Minister. He has been diligently serving the state, and the opposition’s attempts to sow discord are baseless.”
Earlier on Wednesday, senior leader of the Uddhav Thackeray faction, Sanjay Raut, fueled speculation by suggesting that Eknath Shinde might be replaced in the coming days, following the recent defection of NCP leader Ajit Pawar and eight other MLAs to the National Democratic Alliance government.
Reacting to Raut’s statement, Maharashtra Minister Shambhuraj Desai expressed his unwavering support for Eknath Shinde, assuring that no leader is discontented and they all have complete faith in Shinde’s leadership. Desai emphasized, “There is no question of CM Eknath Shinde’s resignation. We enjoy the support of more than 200 MLAs, and all our leaders are satisfied with Shinde’s leadership.”
Adding to the complexity of the situation, Shiv Sena’s mouthpiece ‘Saamana’ claimed on Sunday that Eknath Shinde, along with 16 MLAs who had previously split from Shiv Sena, would soon face disqualification according to the Constitution.
The unexpected political development unfolded on Sunday when NCP leader Ajit Pawar joined the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance in Maharashtra and was sworn in as the Deputy Chief Minister. This move not only altered the political dynamics in the state but also had far-reaching implications for national politics, with the Lok Sabha and assembly elections approaching next year.
As the political landscape in Maharashtra continues to evolve, all eyes remain on Chief Minister Eknath Shinde as he strives to steer the state forward amid the speculations surrounding his leadership.