Shiv Sena does not want Eknath Shinde to accept Union Cabinet post, says MLA Sanjay Shirsat

After the Mahayuti’s landslide victory in the Maharashtra Assembly elections, the Shiv Sena has sought the home ministry and is likely to get a deputy chief minister post.

Ekanth Shinde on Wednesday said that he will accept the decision taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah on CM post and added that there will no hurdle from his side. (PTI Photo)

With the next Maharashtra chief minister yet to be announced and Eknath Shinde unlikely to get the post for the second time, Shiv Sena leaders have reportedly conveyed to him that he should not accept any ministerial berth in the Union Cabinet.

“We do not want our party chief to accept any ministry in the Union Cabinet. He should not go to the Centre. However, which post he should accept or which he should not accept, he has to take the call. We would not want to advise him,” MLA Sanjay Shirsat, Shiv Sena spokesperson, told Marathi news channel ABP Majha, on Friday morning.

Asked if the Shiv Sena still expects Shinde to become the chief minister, Shirsat said, “Eknath Shinde has already made his position clear. He said clearly that the BJP leadership should take the call in this regard and there will be no hurdle from his side. We are not insisting on anything. We have not made any demand. Whatever decision is taken will be acceptable to us.”

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Shirsat said till Union Home Minister Amit Shah announces the name of the chief minister, no name will be considered final. “We also want to know who will be the chief minister. Whoever becomes the chief minister from the Mahayuti will be acceptable to us. There is no confusion from our side,” he said, adding that the new chief minister and his cabinet ministers will take oath on December 2.

After the Mahayuti’s landslide victory in the state, the Shiv Sena has sought the home ministry and is likely to get a deputy chief minister post. While the name of Shinde’s son, Shrikant Shinde, a Lok Sabha MP, is doing the rounds for the post, a section of the Shiv Sena is opposing this, saying it would seem like the party was promoting dynastic rule. The Shiv Sena leaders have reportedly said that it would not be appropriate to elevate Shrikant to the deputy chief minister post when the party has been regularly taking jibes at the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Congress for its dynastic politics.

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