The Maharashtra coalition government crumbled on Wednesday following the resignation of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. The BJP is now expected to stake a claim to form the next government. It will be supported by Eknath Shinde's rebel Shiv Sena leaders and some independent candidates.
Let's look at the next steps:
Discussions on ministerial posts
Eknath Shinde, in a tweet on Thursday, said that there had been no discussions with the BJP about ministerial posts. He then said that the talks would take place soon. He reached Mumbai from Goa to meet Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari and Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis to discuss the government formation.
'Lotus' returns
Meetings on the government formation have already begun in the BJP camp. Several leaders, including the BJP’s state party chief Chandrakant Patil and state in-charge C T Ravi, are scheduled to meet Devendra Fadnavis at his residence on Thursday. BJP leader Girish Mahajan, meanwhile, said the party had the support of around 170 MLAs and would soon form the next government.
The fate of Shiv Sena
Since the rebel leaders have not yet announced if they will form a new party or join the BJP, it appears that they might try to take ownership of the Shiv Sena name, because of the support of the MLAs that they have. The loyalists in the Thackeray Camp could tender resignations or decide to support the rebel MLAs and remain in power.
Effect on upcoming polls
The BJP's return in the state will provide fresh energy to the party in the upcoming BMC elections and the General Elections in 2024. Maharashtra will join UP and Bihar as major states under BJP control, which will impact the party's vote share in the next Lok Sabha elections.