Maharashtra CM’s name finalised, top BJP leadership’s nod awaited: Raosaheb Danve

BJP leader Raosaheb Danve on Sunday said the name of Maharashtra’s new chief minister has been finalised and a confirmation is awaited from the senior party leadership.

The people of Maharashtra know who will be the next CM, former Union minister Danve said without taking any name.

The oath-taking ceremony of the new Mahayuti government in Maharashtra will take place on December 5 evening at the Azad Maidan in south Mumbai and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend it, state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule said on Saturday.

While there was no announcement yet on who would be the chief minister, BJP sources said Devendra Fadnavis, who has been chief minister twice and was deputy CM in the last Eknath Shinde-led government, was the frontrunner for the post.

Maharashtra’s caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde headed to his native village Dare in Satara district on Friday, amid speculation that he was not happy with the way the new state government was shaping up.

Shinde, who suffered from high fever in his village, was recovering and will return to Mumbai on Sunday evening, a close aide said.

Danve in an interview to a regional news channel said, “Even people know who is going to be the next chief minister of Maharashtra. We are waiting for finalisation of the same person’s name by the senior leaders of our party.”

On the ongoing discussions without an announcement of the chief minister’s name, he indicated the public has a good idea of the candidate. “We are waiting for official stamping (approval) on the name,” the BJP leader added.

On the composition of the cabinet, Danve said, “It is the chief minister’s prerogative on whom to include in the state cabinet.”

Asked about Shinde’s visit to his village in Satara, Danve said the caretaker CM’s health does not impede functioning of the state administration.

“When a chief minister visits his native place, we see pride in it,” the BJP leader said.

“When Manmohan Singh was the country’s prime minister of the country (during the previous UPA government), he underwent heart surgery. The administration continued to function,” Danve added.