Shinde still holds key to Mahayuti

Even as the BJP is all set to hold its meeting of the newly elected MLAs to elect its leader for the legislative assembly and also announce the Chief Ministerial candidate, the Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde holds the key for the Maharashtra government given the fact that he is one of the most popular leaders in the state.

- ANAND SINGH

The BJP has announced Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani as the party's observer for Maharashtra. Both the leaders are all set to hold the meeting tomorrow in Mumbai to decide the next leader of the party in the assembly.

With Shinde himself announcing that he will not prove to be a speedbreaker for the Mahayuti government and any proposal by the central BJP leadership will be acceptable to him has only ignited the debate on how the BJP treats its alliance partners.