Maharashtra assembly polls: Shinde is Sena’s pick for legislature party leader

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Mumbai: Eknath Shinde was on Sunday elected legislature party leader of the Shiv Sena . Sena MLAs gathered at a hotel in Bandra and unanimously passed a resolution electing Shinde as legislature party leader. The resolution was moved by MLA Uday Samant.

Shinde credited the Ladki Bahin and other schemes like ‘shashan aaplya dari' (govt at your doorstep) for Mahayuti 's win and said the govt had given benefit of the scheme to 2.39 crore women and of ‘shasahn aaplya daari' scheme to over 5 crore people. The Sena MLAs also passed a resolution congratulating the party for the win. During the meeting, several Sena MLAs raised slogans pitching Shinde as the next CM. Many MLAs said that since the elections were fought under Shinde as CM, he should continue in the post.

Earlier on Sunday evening, Shinde said the Ladki Bahin scheme was a super hit and that the opposition MVA got washed away in the wave created by Ladki Bahin. Shinde was felicitated by women voters at Varsha, the CM's official residence, for the massive assembly poll win. While the Sena won 57 seats, 4 independent MLAs have so far extended support to the Sena.

"It is because of women voters that we have got so many seats. The opposition doesn't even have enough seats to get an opposition Leader. They have been cleaned up. Women voted in such large numbers that there was a wave. This miracle was achieved because of Ladki Bahin," CM Shinde said.

Sena functionaries said CM Shinde is likely to submit his resignation to the governor on Monday or Tuesday and then continue as caretaker CM till the new CM and cabinet take oath. "The BJP will also elect its legislature party leader. BJP's observers will come for this process. Then there will be a meeting with the BJP top brass and once the power-sharing formula is fixed, the new govt will take oath. So till then Shinde may continue as a caretaker CM. This is the convention and the CM resigning before a new govt is formed is a formality," said a Sena functionary. Sena MLA Deepak Kesarkar said the swearing-in ceremony of the new govt is likely to take place at Wankhede stadium.