Eknath Shinde, Devendra Fadnavis, Ajit Pawar to Meet Home Minister Amit Shah Tonight in Delhi

Government formation in Maharashtra is expected to gain momentum following a crucial meeting between caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Devendra Fadnavis, Ajit Pawar, and Union Minister Amit Shah in Delhi on Thursday night, sources said.

The meeting holds significance amid reports suggesting that the BJP leadership is considering the inclusion of several Maratha leaders, even though it is widely perceived that Fadnavis is set to become the Chief Minister for a third term, sources added.

Caste dynamics have assumed a greater role in the choice of the CM as an overwhelming number of the 288 MLAs from all the parties are from the Maratha community.

A close aide of Shinde said on Thursday that the caretaker CM is unlikely to accept the post of deputy CM in the new dispensation. Sanjay Shirsat, an MLA and spokesperson of the Shiv Sena, however, said Shinde would be a part of the cabinet. "He is unlikely to be a deputy chief minister. It does not befit a person who has already served as chief minister," Shirsat told PTI.

Recovering from its losses in the Lok Sabha elections, the BJP secured 132 constituencies, the highest among all constituents of the Mahayuti. Shinde's Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar's NCP also performed well, with Sena winning 57 seats and NCP securing 41 seats.

On the other hand, the Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) faced a major setback. The Congress registered one of its worst performances in the state assembly polls, winning only 16 seats. Sharad Pawar's NCP(SP) managed just 10 seats, while Uddhav Thackeray's UBT won 20 seats. The Maharashtra assembly elections were held on November 20, with results declared on November