Maharashtra governor asks Eknath Shinde to act as caretaker Chief Minister following his resignation

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Nov 26 morning met Governor C P Radhakrishnan and tendered his resignation following the results of the assembly elections.

The governor asked Shinde to act as a caretaker chief minister till the new CM is sworn in, as suspense continues over who would be the ruling Mahayuti coalition's choice for the post following its landslide victory.

Shinde was accompanied by deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar as he visited the Raj Bhavan.

The term of the outgoing Maharashtra assembly ends on Nov 26.

Deepak Kesarkar, who served as a minister in the Eknath Shinde cabinet, told reporters, "The chief minister has tendered his resignation. The governor has asked him to act as a caretaker chief minister."

To a question, Kesarkar said the new government will be sworn in at the earliest.

Despite the Mahayuti alliance of the BJP, Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar's NCP securing a massive victory, winning 230 seats in the 288-member assembly, consensus has eluded the ruling combine's leaders so far on who should be the next CM.

When asked who will be the next CM, Kesarkar said, "Every political worker desires that the CM should from his or her party, but whatever decision Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah take will be acceptable to all of us."

"Shinde has told the senior leaders (apparent reference to Modi and Shah) that whatever decision they take is acceptable to him," the Shiv Sena leader added.

(PTI)