Shiv Sena has finally elected state minister Eknath Shinde as their legislature party leader. This came after a continuous round of in-party discussion on the candidature of Aaditya Thackeray. Finally, it was decided that the 29-year-old should sit out of the BJP-Sena alliance government for now.
Aaditya Thackeray, the first from the Sena’s first family to enter the state assembly, had told his party leaders that he didn’t want to be part of the government for now. His father, Uddhav Thackeray also felt that he should learn the legislative proceedings and governance for a year or two before joining the government.
The two other leaders who were in the reckoning were Eknath Shinde and Subhash Desai, the two senior members of the party.
As per reports, BJP is offering the Shiv Sena 2-3 more berths in the council of ministers over the 13 slots that it has had in the 2014 alliance government.
The BJP has made it clear that the chief minister’s post will be theirs. Even important portfolios like home, finance, revenue and urban development will continue to remain with BJP.
The BJP won 105 seats and the Sena got 56 in the 288-member assembly. The opposition Nationalist Congress Party has 54 seats while its alliance partner Congress has 44. Independents and smaller parties together have 29 seats.