BJP appoints two central observers for Maharashtra

The Bharatiya Janata Party has named Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and ex-Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani as the designated 'observers' for a meeting of its newly elected Maharashtra MLAs later today, at which the issue of the next Chief Minister may be settled. Despite the Mahayuti alliance's resounding victory in the Maharashtra Assembly elections, more than a week has passed, and the alliance has yet to announce its next Chief Minister.
The BJP emerged as the single-largest party in the 288-seat House with 132 MLAs, while the Shinde Sena got 57 and the Pawar NCP group 41. That meant the BJP can form the government - with the majority mark at 145 - without help from the Sena faction, unlike the 2022 mid-term switch.The NCP has already indicated it will back the BJP, meaning party boss Ajit Pawar will likely return as Deputy Chief Minister. Who the second deputy will be remains to be seen.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena MP from Kalyan, Shrikant Shinde, on Monday refuted the "rumours" of him becoming the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra and emphasised that he is not seeking any ministerial position in the state. "After elections results, formation of government is delayed a little and that is why so many rumours are floating around and one is that I am going to be the deputy chief minister in the new government. I want to tell everyone that this is completely baseless and false, there is no fact in this. I had already a chance to become a minister in the Union Cabinet after Lok Sabha elections, but I chose to work for my party organisation and it is still like that, I have no desire for a position in power," Shrikant Shinde said.