Eknath Shinde resigned as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra on Tuesday and arrived at the Raj Bhavan to meet Governor CP Radhakrishnan around 11 am. Shinde has been asked to continue as the caretaker Chief Minister for the time being.

Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar were also present at the Raj Bhavan during the meeting. The ruling Mahayuti alliance, however, has not yet decided on the next Chief Minister of Maharashtra.

The term of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly ends today, adding to the urgency of the decision.

Before the arrival of the Mahayuti leaders at Raj Bhavan, Shiv Sena spokesperson Sheetal Mhatre expressed that the Maratha community is eager for Shinde's return as CM. She highlighted Shinde’s efforts in providing 10% reservation to the Maratha community in the economically and socially backward category. Mhatre also mentioned that Shinde had helped the community through the Annasaheb Patil and Sarathi corporations, earning the support of Marathas during the elections.

Meanwhile, the RSS and NCP are backing Devendra Fadnavis for the Chief Minister's position, pointing out that the BJP, being the largest party in terms of strike rate, has a strong claim. BJP leaders also support Fadnavis, citing his administrative experience and popularity with the masses.

Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske said, "The Chief Minister of Maharashtra will be the leader of the Mahayuti. The government will be formed soon."

In the Maharashtra elections, the ruling Mahayuti alliance, consisting of the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP, secured a significant majority, winning 230 seats. The BJP emerged as the largest party with 132 seats, while Shiv Sena and NCP won 57 and 41 seats, respectively. The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, including the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP (SP), faced a crushing defeat. Shiv Sena (UBT) won only 20 seats, Congress secured 16, and NCP (SP) managed to win just 10 seats.

Congress veterans Prithviraj Chavan and Balasaheb Thorat were also defeated in their constituencies, while State Congress Chief Nana Patole managed a narrow victory in the Sakoli seat with a margin of just 208 votes.

Mahayuti's tsunami hits Maharashtra, know what is the next story

Maharashtra Elections 2024: Mahayuti Takes Early Lead Over MVA as Vote Counting Begins

Record-Breaking Voter Turnout in Maharashtra's 2024 Assembly Elections