If Eknath Shinde doesn't accept Maharashtra deputy CM's post, it will go to someone in Shiv Sena: Sanjay Shirsat

Eknath Shinde. File Pic

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Shirsat on Friday said if their party head Eknath Shinde doesn't accept the Maharashtra deputy chief minister's post, then it will be given to someone from their outfit, reported news agency PTI.

Talking to reporters, Shirsat said Shinde will certainly not go to the Centre as a Union minister.

After the Mahayuti alliance's astounding performance in the Maharashtra polls, where it won 230 of the 288 seats, Shinde, now the caretaker chief minister, has said that he will "fully support" BJP leadership's decision to name the next CM and won't be a hurdle in the process.

This had led to debates over the possibility of Shinde being offered the deputy CM position and whether he would accept it.

"If Shinde does not accept the Maharashtra deputy CM's post, then some other leader from our party will get it. He (Shinde) will take a call on this by evening," said Shirsat, who retained his Aurangabad assembly West seat, reported PTI.

On Thursday, the Shiv Sena leader said Eknath Shinde was unlikely to accept the post of deputy CM in the new government in Maharashtra.

Shirsat's party colleague and former minister Shamburaj Desai said their MLA-elects and party workers strongly feel that Shinde should be a part of the new government, reported PTI.

Desai was the guardian minister of Thane, Shinde's bastion, from 2022 to 2024. Looking at Shinde's vast administrative experience, Desai said, he should be a part of the next government in Maharashtra.

Shinde, ex-CM Devendra Fadnavis and NCP chief Ajit Pawar met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president J P Nadda late Thursday to thrash out a power-sharing pact for the next government in Maharashtra.

"We will take a decision (on Maharashtra CM) in a day or two. We have held discussions, and the discussions will continue. You will get to know when we take a final decision," Shinde told reporters in Delhi after the meeting.

In the November 20 Maharashtra polls, whose results were announced on November 23, the BJP won 132 seats, followed by its allies Shiv Sena (57) and NCP (41). From the opposition camp, Congress got 16 seats, while its MVA partners Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) bagged only 20 and 10 seats, respectively.

(With inputs from PTI)