Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde met Governor CP Radhakrishnan and officially resigned as the state assembly's term ended. However, Shinde will continue to handle the responsibilities of Chief Minister temporarily until a new Chief Minister and cabinet are chosen and take their positions.

The Mahayuti alliance won by a big margin in the recent elections but has not yet decided who will become the next Chief Minister. If they don’t decide soon, Maharashtra might come under the president’s rule. However, this rule can be lifted as soon as a Chief Minister is selected.

Reports suggest that BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis is expected to become the Chief Minister again, with Eknath Shinde and NCP’s Ajit Pawar serving as Deputy Chief Ministers. Shinde, who led the alliance to victory, had been trying to keep the CM position but may agree to take on the Deputy CM role instead.

Fadnavis gains support for the CM post

The BJP has decided to take 21 out of the 43 ministerial positions in the new government, while Shiv Sena will have 12 and the NCP will have 10 positions. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has backed Devendra Fadnavis for the Chief Minister role, believing his leadership helped the BJP gain support. Ajit Pawar also showed his support for Fadnavis during a meeting with NCP members.

However, Shinde’s supporters are pushing for him to continue as CM, highlighting that the alliance’s landslide victory happened under his leadership. In response, Shinde appealed to his supporters not to gather outside his official residence, Varsha. "Out of love for me, some people have appealed to everyone to gather together and come to Mumbai. I am deeply grateful for your love. But I appeal that no one should come together in my support in such a manner," he wrote on X.

The BJP, with 132 MLAs, only needs one of its allies, Shiv Sena (57 MLAs) or NCP (41 MLAs), to secure a majority in the 288-member assembly. As the BJP-led alliance deliberates, suspense continues over who will take the Chief Minister’s seat in Maharashtra.