ALL NOT WELL IN MAHAYUTI?

CM Shinde heads to his village, govt formation delayed

NT Correspondent

Mumbai

A full week after the Maharashtra Assembly poll results stunned the nation sweeping the Mahayuti back to power with 132 seats, there is still no clear indication on who the new CM will be with a key Mahayuti meeting which was scheduled for Friday, put off. India’s second largest state in terms of MLAs, which also houses the commercial hub of the country, remains deprived of a government with people wondering how long the tussle over the CM post between outgoing CM Shinde and the BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis will continue delaying government formation.

Meanwhile, adding to speculation over the rift, Shinde headed to his native village. The ruling alliance's meeting is expected to be convened in Mumbai on Sunday, said sources in the Shiv Sena, which is headed by Shinde. Leaders of the BJP, the largest Mahayuti constituent, said they were awaiting arrival of central observers for the legislature party meeting. The swearing-in of the new government is expected to take place next week, the sources said. Shinde, speaking to reporters in New Delhi on Thursday night, had said talks with Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah on government formation were positive Shinde returned to Mumbai on Friday morning and left for his native village Dare in Satara district in western Maharashtra in the evening.