Delay In Govt formation 'Insult' to Maharashtra, Says Aaditya Thackeray

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray criticized the Mahayuti alliance for the delay in forming a government and announcing a chief minister after the Maharashtra assembly election results on November 23. He termed the delay an "insult to Maharashtra" and accused the BJP-led alliance of fostering "anarchy" by declaring a swearing-in date (December 5) without formally staking a claim to form the government. Thackeray also questioned the absence of President's rule, alleging double standards in its application to opposition parties. He took a jab at caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s low profile, hinting at dissatisfaction within the alliance.

Meanwhile, the BJP has yet to convene its legislature party meeting. Shinde, Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, and Ajit Pawar met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP President J.P. Nadda on Thursday night to finalize power-sharing arrangements following the alliance's landslide victory. Shinde told reporters in Delhi that the chief ministerial decision would be made within two days, adding that discussions were still underway. He also stated his willingness to abide by any decision from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah regarding government formation.

The BJP led the Mahayuti alliance with a strong electoral performance, winning 132 assembly seats. Shinde’s Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar’s NCP won 57 and 41 seats, respectively. On the other hand, the Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) suffered significant losses, with Congress achieving one of its worst results, securing only 16 seats. Sharad Pawar's NCP(SP) won 10 seats, while Uddhav Thackeray’s faction (UBT) managed 20.