Maharashtra CM-designate Eknath Shinde on Thursday said the decision taken is committed to Balasaheb's Hindutva and for development work in the constituencies of the 50 MLAs supporting him.
Shinde will take oath as the Maharashtra Chief Minister, a day after Uddhav Thackeray announced his resignation from the top post bringing an end to the 31-month-old Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.
He said that the oath-taking ceremony of Shinde as Maharashtra CM will be held at 7.30 pm today.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Devendra Fadnavis made the announcement on Thursday after meeting Governor Bhagat Singh Koshiyari to stake a claim to form the government in the state.
"A total of 50 MLAs are with us, including 40 MLAs from Shiv Sena...We have fought this battle so far with their help...I will not let even a scratch mar the trust that these 50 people have placed in me - let alone break that trust," Shinde told media persons in a joint conference with Fadnavis here.
He said, "The decision that we have taken is committed to Balasaheb's Hindutva and for the development work in the constituencies of our MLAs. We have 50 MLAs with us."
Maharashtra CM-designate Shinde further said that though BJP has 120 MLAs, but Fadnavis did not take up the post of Chief Minister.
"BJP has 120 MLAs but despite that Devendra Fadnavis didn't take the post of CM. I express my gratitude to him along with PM Modi, Amit Shah and other BJP leaders that they showed generosity and made Balasaheb's Sainik (party-worker) the CM of the state," he said.
Shinde asserted that the rebel Shiv Sena leaders already advised former CM Thackeray on the need for improvement in the development work, hence, demanded a natural alliance with BJP.
"We went to former CM Thackeray with our constituency's grievances and development work and advised him on the need for improvement as we started realizing that it would be difficult for us to win the next elections. We demanded a natural alliance with BJP," he said.
Meanwhile, Fadnavis said that Shiv Sena and BJP together had required numbers in Assembly elections, however, the party chose to get into an alliance with Congress and NCP.
Fadnavis said, "In 2019, BJP and Shiv Sena had an alliance and we got the required numbers in Assembly elections. We hoped to form the government but Shiv Sena chose to get into an alliance with those against whom Balasaheb protested throughout his life. Shiv Sena insulted the mandate of the people."
"Shiv Sena MLAs were demanding that the alliance with Congress and NCP should be ended but Uddhav Thackeray ignored these MLAs and gave priority to MVA alliance partners, that's why these MLAs intensified their voices," Fadnavis added.
Fadnavis also decided that he will stay out of the government. "After the swearing-in ceremony today, we will have a cabinet expansion and Shiv Sena and BJP leaders will take the oath. I will stay out of the government," he added.
Thackeray became Chief Minister after Shiv Sena joined hands with Nationalist Congress Party and Congress to form the government in Maharashtra following the 2019 Assembly elections. Shiv Sena leadership had differences with its pre-poll ally BJP and wanted the post of Chief Minister.
( With inputs from ANI )
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