Top 3 sealed, hectic parleys for key posts continue in Mahayuti

When 132 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lawmakers shuffled into the central hall of the Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha on Wednesday morning, there were two big questions hanging over the incoming Mahayuti government-whether Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde could be convinced to take oath as deputy to his one-time deputy and now presumptive chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, and what formula of cabinet berths and key positions would seal the deal for the three-party alliance.

- Sunetra Choudhury, Surendra P Gangan and Faisal Malik

As night fell on a day of hectic parleys and back-room discussions, the fog had lifted over the first question but some suspense still lingered over the second-particularly on the home portfolio and the assembly Speaker's position-as a final word was awaited till the time of going to print.

Shinde, after backing Fadnavis as CM and staking claim to power at Raj Bhavan, was finally convinced to take oath alongside Fadnavis and Nationalist Congress Party chief Ajit Pawar at 5.30pm on Thursday evening, people aware of the matter said. The 60-year-old leader, who had held up government formation for nearly two weeks, came around at a meeting with Fadnavis at Varsha Bungalow in Mumbai on Wednesday evening.

But Shinde was still adamant on the home department and the Speaker's position for his party, even as it appeared that the urban development department was set to go to the Sena and the finance portfolio to the NCP, they added. There was also a possibility that some key ministers might take oath alongside the three main leaders.