Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, November 29: Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Shirsat said that the name of the Chief Ministerial face for Maharashtra should be announced by Friday midnight and caretaker CM Eknath Shinde, will take a big decision in the next 24 hours. The Shiv Sena leader also asserted that Eknath Shinde will not take any position in the Union cabinet as his interest lies in Maharashtra politics.

"Yesterday the leaders of Maharashtra met at the residence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah...PM Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah will decide who will be the next Chief Minister of Maharashtra...The name of the Maharashtra CM should be declared by today midnight. I have the information that the oath-taking ceremony will be on December 2," Shirsat told ANI. "Eknath Shinde will not go to Delhi. He is more interested in Maharashtra politics than Delhi politics," he added. Maharashtra CM Suspense Continues: MahaYuti’s Meeting Over Government Formation Cancelled As CM Eknath Shinde Leaves for His Native Village Dare in Satara.

On Eknath Shinde heading to his native village in Satara district amid the suspense over the chief ministerial face, the Shiv sena leader said that whenever Eknath Shinde feels that he needs some time to think, he goes to his native village. "When he (Eknath Shinde) has to make a big decision, he goes to his native village. By tomorrow evening, he (Eknath Shinde) will take a very big decision.," he added.

Caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Devendra Fadnavis, the front runner for CM, NCP chief Ajit Pawar, and other Mahayuti leaders met Amit Shah and BJP national president JP Nadda in Delhi on Thursday amid the deadlock over the chief ministerial face in the state. The Maharashtra Assembly election results were declared on November 23, with BJP-led Mahayuti alliance storming back to power with a landslide majority, but the winning alliance is yet to finalise its choice for Chief Minister. Maharashtra CM’s Post: Shiv Sena Bats for Eknath Shinde, BJP Pitches for Devendra Fadnavis.

The BJP emerged as the largest party with 132 seats in the 280-member Maharashtra Assembly, while its allies--the Shiv Sena, led by Eknath Shinde, and the NCP, led by Ajit Pawar--won 57 and 41 seats, respectively.