NEW DELHI: There is a lot of confusion over the chief minister's post as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has made a big leap in Maharashtra and won the maximum number of seats on its own. In the new scenario, there are strong indications that the BJP will take back the chief minister's post given to Eknath Shinde as a reward for bringing down the Uddhav Thackeray government and splitting the Shiv Sena. In that case, Fadnavis will be the chief minister, and Shinde & Ajit Pawar will be the deputy chief ministers.

Eknath Shinde is hoping to get continuity as chief minister on the assumption that the state government's policies and promises, including the Ladki Behen scheme, have influenced the mandate of the people. There are indications that he has staked claim to the chief minister's post. Mahayuti had contested the elections with Shinde as its leader.

The BJP is of the view that it should get the chief minister's post as it has won more than 130 of the 149 seats it contested, that too more than twice the seats of the Maha Vikas Aghadi. A section in the BJP is also demanding that Devendra Fadnavis, who had switched over to the deputy chief minister's post for Eknath Shinde, be given a chance. Fadnavis had yesterday hinted that the chief minister's post would not be continuous. Addressing a press conference, Fadnavis said there is no dispute over the chief minister's post and the leaders of the three allies will sit together and decide on it after the elections and it was decided earlier itself. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and deputy chief ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar held a joint press conference at the chief minister's official residence.

"Union Home Minister Amit Shah has already made it clear that there is no formula for the chief minister's post. I will hold discussions with CM Shinde and Ajit Pawar. There is no confusion or dispute about it. It was decided very early. The decisions will be accepted by the leaders," Fadnavis said.

Chief Minister's post: Dispute in 2019

It was a dispute over the chief minister's post that led to the undivided Shiv Sena leaving the NDA in 2019. Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray demanded the chief minister's post as he had won 56 seats at that time. The BJP rejected it and he left the front. Uddhav formed the Maha Vikas Aghadi along with the Congress and the NCP and formed the government. BJP regained power by splitting the Shiv Sena through Eknath Shinde.