Harshvardhan Tripathi: Sharad Pawar and Balasaheb Thackeray were the two biggest leaders in Maharashtra politics. Now if there is only one big leader in Maharashtra, it is Devendra Fadnavis. A section in BJP is not liking this. I believe that Amit Shah should immediately intervene in this matter and set things right. Shinde or Ajit Pawar, there are five to six leaders in both the parties who belong to BJP and have won from these parties. What is happening now is not good for BJP.

 

Anurag Verma: If you talk about BJP's style, if not Devendra Fadnavis then who? You cannot discuss this question. It can be anyone. This time for the first time there is pressure on the central leadership. In the current situation, Ajit Pawar or Eknath Shinde are in such a position that they can do 'arm twisting' of BJP. The situation in Bihar is different. Maharashtra and Bihar cannot be compared. BJP does not have any leader of Devendra Fadnavis' stature there.

 

Sameer Chaugaonkar: BJP has only one master. Whoever is decided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the Chief Minister of Maharashtra. No one in BJP has the power to go against his decision. Eknath Shinde definitely faces the challenge that if he becomes the Deputy Chief Minister, he should get everything that Devendra Fadnavis had when he was the Deputy Chief Minister. Along with this, he wants that as many ministers should be from Shiv Sena as from BJP. Along with this, no matter who gets more seats in Mumbai Municipal Corporation, the Mayor should be from Shiv Sena for two and a half years and from BJP for two and a half years. Along with this, his Mayor should be in Kalyan and Thane and an OBC face should become the Chief Minister. He has demanded guardian ministers from Shiv Sena for 12 out of 36 districts. When all these things are decided, then the Chief Minister will be announced.

 

Vinod Agnihotri: Such things happen in a coalition government. It is definitely true that with the numbers that BJP has, Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde are not in a position to bargain. In such a situation, one should move forward only after deciding everything. I think this is right. It is true that it may not be decided who will be the Chief Minister, but it is certain that Ajit Pawar will definitely become the Deputy Chief Minister. The fact that the name has not been announced till now means that Devendra Fadnavis' name has been rejected. For the first time, there will be no pressure or compulsion on the BJP Chief Minister.

 

Rakesh Shukla: Maharashtra cannot be compared to Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. There the central leadership wanted to bring in new leadership. Such is not the situation in Maharashtra. Eknath Shinde was brought forward. Eknath Shinde did not have the strength yesterday, nor today, nor will he have tomorrow to stop Devendra Fadnavis. All this is an internal matter of the BJP. The person who wants to stop him also has the challenge of stopping Fadnavis in Maharashtra or in national politics.

 

Purnima Tripathi: The fact that the CM has not been announced even after having such a big number shows that something is cooking up within the BJP. Now we have to see what will come out of this.