Amid the continuing suspense over the formation of a new government in Maharashtra, BJP central observer for the state Vijay Rupani on Tuesday indicated that the next chief minister will be from the saffron party.
”I think someone from the BJP would become the CM. (Caretaker) Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has already given the statement that he has no issues if someone from the BJP is made the CM,” he said in Gandhinagar.
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Rupani, a former chief minister of Gujarat, said he is going to Mumbai later Tuesday, while Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who is the other party observer for Maharashtra, will reach the city tonight.
”We will have a meeting of the legislature party (of Maharashtra BJP) tomorrow at 11 a.m. We will have discussions and deliberations there. After that, the leader (of the Legislature party) will be elected unanimously. The party high command will be informed of the name. An announcement will then be made,” he added.
On whether there was any problem in naming the new CM, he said, ”our high command has had discussions with all allies (Shiv Sena-Shinde and Nationalist Congress Party-Ajit Pawar). So, there is no problem. Everything will be done smoothly and unanimously.”
Meanwhile, preparations are under way at the Azad Maidan in Mumbai for the oath-taking ceremony of the new CM which is likely to take place on December 5.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and other top leaders of the BJP-led NDA are expected to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the new government.
