Eknath Shinde eyes at home department in Maharashtra, says Shiv Sena; ‘When Fadnavis was deputy CM he also…’

aDays after BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis took oath as Maharashtra Chief Minister, Shiv Sena on Friday expressed its will to take the the crucial home portfolio in the state government. Shiv Sena leader Bharat Gogawale told PTI that when Fadnavis was deputy CM he held the home department.

Now the Shiv Sena leader claimed that Eknath Shinde is demanding the same arrangement and talks are in progress.

“When Fadnavis was the deputy CM (in the previous Shinde-led government), he also held the home department. Now, Saheb has demanded the same arrangement and talks (on portfolio allocation) are in progress,” news agency PTI quoted Gogavale.

The Raigad MLA said, “The demand was probably made to Prime Minister Narendra Modi or Union Home Minister Amit Shah. We hope the talks on portfolios will be over in the next two days.”

Maharashtra CM Oath-taking ceremony

Senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis took oath as Maharashtra Chief Minister on Thursday, December 5. The oath ceremony held more than ten days after Mahayuti alliance consisted of BJP, Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party registered a landmark victory in Maharashtra State Assembly Elections 2024.

Eknath Shinde took oath as the deputy chief minister of Maharashtra. According to media reports, Shinde was not willing to accept the deputy CM post but other Shiv Sena leaders convinced him to take the position. After showcasing a strong performance in the elections, Shinde is adamant about the home department.

In 2022, Eknath Shinde led a rebellion against then CM Uddhav Thackeray, the head of a joint Shiv Sena. The rebellion resulted in a painful split in the party founded by Balasaheb Thackeray. The original name and symbol was assigned to Eknath Shinde-led faction.

Devendra Fadnavis rejects reports on Eknath Shinde's disappointment

Amid speculations about Eknath Shinde's disappointment over portfolio allocation, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis has maintained that everything is fine between Shinde, Pawar and him.

“I don’t think Shinde ji was angry on any issue. There was one faction that wanted Shinde ji to become the coordination committee chairman. There was no anger. During our meeting in Delhi, he had conceded that as the BJP has more MLAs, the CM should be from the party,” Devendra Fadnavis told CNN-News18 in an interview.