NEW DELHI: Union minister Ramdas Athawale on Tuesday suggested Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde to consider stepping aside and allow Devendra Fadnavis to assume the role of Maharashtra chief minister.
While speaking to reporters, the minister suggested that Shinde could serve as deputy chief minister or seek a position in the Union cabinet.
“The Maharashtra dispute should end soon. BJP’s high command has decided that Devendra Fadnavis should be made the CM but Eknath Shinde is unhappy and his displeasure needs to be removed. BJP has so many seats that even BJP will not agree,” Athawale said.
“I think that Eknath Shinde should take 2 steps back, just like Devendra Fadnavis took 4 steps back and worked under his leadership. Eknath Shinde should become Deputy CM or at least a central minister,” he added.
Athawale further said that the Mahayuti alliance needs Shinde and his 57 MLAs and there should be compromise in the “Maharashtra dispute.”
“PM Modi and Union HM Amit Shah will definitely think about it and some decisions should be taken quickly. We very much need Eknath Shinde and his 57 MLAs,” Athawale said.
“There should be a compromise quickly and the cabinet should be expanded with great confidence, but my party should get one ministerial post in that cabinet. I had made a similar demand to Devendra Fadnavis,” he added.
Athawale’s remarks came as uncertainty over the chief ministerial post looms amid discussions to determine the state’s leadership. Although deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis is the frontrunner for the post, the Shiv Sena has been pushing to retain Eknath Shinde as chief minister.
The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance secured a substantial victory, winning 235 seats in the 288-member assembly. In the recent assembly elections, the BJP secured 132 seats, while their allies Shiv Sena and NCP won 57 and 41 seats respectively. The coalition also includes various smaller political groups.