Will new Maharashtra CM be finally announced? All eyes on BJP's crucial Mumbai meeting today

The next chief minister of Maharashtra is expected to be announced today, December 4, days after the Mahayuti scripted a landslide victory in assembly polls. The likely announcement after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislature party meeting in Mumbai will possibly end the suspense over who will succeed caretaker chief minister Eknath Shinde in Maharashtra.

The BJP legislature party meeting is scheduled at Vidhan Bhawan. The BJP, which emerged as the single-largest party by bagging 132 seats in the 280-member Maharashtra house, will elect its leader in the crucial meeting.

Union Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman and former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani – the BJP's central observers for the legislature party meeting – arrived in Mumbai on Tuesday evening.

The Assembly Elections in Maharashtra were held on November 20 and the results were announced on November 23. The Mahayuti won 230 seats. Apart from BJP's 132 seats, Shinde-led Shiv Sena won 57 seats, while Ajit Pawar’s NCP won 41 seats.

Fadnavis CM, Shinde, Pawar Dy CMs?

Since then, there has been speculation about who will be the next Chief Minister of Maharashtra — Eknath Shinde or Devendra Fadnavis. What fueled the rumours of a possible stalemate was Shinde’s sudden ‘ill health’ and subsequent decision to head to his native village soon after meeting with top BJP leadership in Delhi last week.

Amid the delay in government formation, BJP leader and two-time chief minister, Fadnavis emerged as the front-runner in the race. Shinde has reportedly agreed to serve as Deputy Chief Minister in the next Mahayuti government. Fadnavis visited Shinde at his official residence, Varsha, in south Mumbai on Tuesday evening, hours ahead of today's meeting.

Once the official announcement is made today, the swearing-in ceremony for the new Mahayuti government will be held on December 5 at Azad Maidan in Mumbai. Eknath Shinde is expected to be sworn in alongside Fadnavis and NCP leader Ajit Pawar at oath-taking to be attended by top BJP leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi.