Party sources told ANI Shiv Sena leadership has indicated that other party MPs will be considered for the role at the Centre and this decision reflects Eknath Shinde's "pledge to prioritise meritocracy over family connections"
Shrikant Shinde. File Pic
With discussions over government formation gathering pace following BJP-led NDA's victory in Lok Sabha elections 2024, Shiv Sena is likely to consider party MPs other than Kalyan MP Dr Shrikant Shinde, who is the son of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, for inclusion in the union cabinet, reported news agency ANI.
Party sources told ANI that Shiv Sena leadership has indicated that other party MPs will be considered for the role at the Centre and this decision reflects Eknath Shinde's "pledge to prioritise meritocracy over family connections".
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At last year's Shiv Sena convention in Kolhapur, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde emphasized the principle of "Raja ka beta raja nahin banega, jo kam karega wo raja banega" (The son of a king won't necessarily become a king, whoever works will become the king).
"Following the ethos of the late Balasaheb Thackeray, who treated his colleagues as equals, the Shiv Sena party continues to uphold these ideals. The Chief Minister's preference for meritocracy over nepotism underscores the party's commitment to rewarding hardworking leaders within its ranks," a party source told ANI.
Srikant Shinde is a three-time MP from Kalyan Lok Sabha constituency. Shiv Sena won seven Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra with NCP, the other ally of BJP, winning only one seat. The BJP won nine seats in the state.
Srikant Shinde successfully retained the Kalyan constituency with a margin of 2,09,144 votes and scored a hat-trick win. He defeated Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Vaishali Darekar-Rane.
BJP-led NDA got majority in the Lok Sabha election results 2024 declared on June 4. BJP fell short of a majority on its own by 22 seats.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Shirsat on Thursday claimed that changes made based on surveys over seat-sharing and overconfidence due to it caused losses to them in the Lok Sabha polls.
The ruling Mahayuti in Maharashtra, comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and the NCP headed by Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, on Tuesday won 17 out of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state.
As part of the alliance, the Shiv Sena contested 15 seats and won 7.
The BJP contested 28 seats and won 9, the NCP fielded candidates in 4 seats and bagged 1, while their ally RSP contested 1 seat and lost it.
The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi, whose constituents include the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) headed by former CM Uddhav Thackeray and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP), won 30 seats.
(With inputs from ANI)
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