Mumbai: MahaYuti, an alliance of BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP- Wednesday submitted a letter staking claims for the formation of government to Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan here.
Shiv Sena chief leader Eknath Shinde and NCP President Ajit Pawar gave their letters supporting Devendra Fadnavis as the Chief Minister after he was unanimously elected by the BJP legislators as the legislature party leader.
Fadnavis said that the swearing-in would take place on Thursday at 5.30 pm in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, adding that other BJP allies and independents also gave letters supporting him as the Chief Minister.
Fadnavis said that he met Eknath Shinde on Tuesday and urged him to be part of the government.
“I am sure that he (Shinde) will accept my request. Similar appeals have been made by the Shiv Sena legislators. During two and half years, we Eknath Shinde, Ajit Pawar and myself together took decisions for Maharashtra’s development. We will decide by late evening how many ministers will take oath tomorrow,” Fadnavis said.
“I am thankful to the PM for giving me an opportunity to serve the state. I also thank Home Minister Amit Shah, party president J.P. Nadda and Union Minister Ramdas Athavale for their support,” added Fadnavis.
Ajit Pawar clarified that he had visited Delhi not to meet Home Minister Amit Shah. “It was purely a private visit,” he said.
Ajit Pawar confirmed that he would take oath tomorrow.
Caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said that the Governor has given the permission to form the government.
Shinde said that Maharashtra had never witnessed a landslide victory earlier, adding that MahaYuti got a mega mandate.
“We as MahaYuti partners were working together as a common man’s government. We took decisions for welfare and development schemes. The projects stalled by the Maha Vikas Aghadi government were revived. We made efforts to transform the lives of the common man,” he added.
