Maharashtra New CM 2024 Live Updates: Devendra Fadnavis' name finalised for Maharashtra CM's post, says BJP leader

On speculation that Shrikant Shinde will be made a Deputy CM in the new government and whether Shiv Sena has staked the claim for the home portfolio, Shinde replied, "Talks were on".

The Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra, comprising the BJP, Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar’s NCP, is facing internal discord even after securing a decisive win in the November 20 assembly elections with 230 out of 288 seats. BJP won 132, Shiv Sena 57, and NCP 41 seats. Shiv Sena MLA Gulabrao Patil criticized Ajit Pawar’s inclusion in the alliance, claiming the Shiv Sena could have won 90-100 seats had it contested independently. NCP spokesperson Amol Mitkari rebuked Patil's remarks.

Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad accused BJP and Shiv Sena allies of undermining his election bid. Senior BJP leader Raosaheb Danve suggested the alliance’s victory would have been greater if the BJP and an undivided Shiv Sena had contested together.

The Mahayuti has yet to finalize its chief minister. Speculation surrounds Eknath Shinde’s role, with some Shiv Sena leaders demanding the home portfolio. The government will be sworn in on December 5 at Azad Maidan in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

A BJP leader claimed the party's MLAs have not been informed yet regarding the timing of the legislature party meeting. A day earlier, BJP leaders confirmed that the meeting will be held on December 2.

Amid speculation that his son Shrikant Shinde might get the deputy CM's post and Shiv Sena is keen on the Home portfolio, Eknath Shinde said the Mahayuti allies- BJP, NCP, and Shiv Sena- will decide the government formation through consensus after sitting together.

"The meeting will take place to choose our parliamentary leader. The representatives come from the centre with the names. After chosing the names, the announcement will be made officially. The announcement will be made ahead of the oath ceremony," said Mungantiwar.

Shiv Sena MLA Gulabrao Patil suggested that the party could have gained more seats without Ajit Pawar's NCP in the Mahayuti alliance. Patil praised Eknath Shinde's leadership, showing no dissatisfaction despite Pawar’s inclusion. As Mahayuti prepares to announce the next Maharashtra CM, Shinde has pledged support for the BJP's decision.

Senior BJP leader reportedly confirmed that Devendra Fadnavis has been selected as Maharashtra's next chief minister. Speaking anonymously to PTI, the leader indicated that the BJP legislature party would convene on either December 2 or December 3.

The new Mahayuti government's swearing-in ceremony is scheduled for December 5 evening at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi expected to attend the event.

Fadnavis previously held the chief minister position twice, with his second term being notably brief. In the outgoing administration led by Eknath Shinde, he served as deputy chief minister.

"With a large majority, people have chosen us, so the CM is going to be from the BJP. For us Devendra (Fadnavis) ji is the CM of Maharashtra. As for other positions, that will be decided by the (party) high command," said outgoing Maharashtra Revenue Minister and BJP leader Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil.

"Our government's work over the past two and a half years will be remembered in history. This is why the people gave us a historic mandate and denied the opposition even the chance to elect a Leader of the Opposition. All three allies of the Mahayuti have a good understanding. The Chief Minister candidate will be decided tomorrow," he said.

A high-ranking BJP official informed PTI that the legislative party gathering is likely to be scheduled for either December 3 or December 4.

A senior leader from the alliance stated that the Mahayuti partners will collectively determine if the December 5 ceremony will be limited to the chief minister and deputy CMs' oath-taking, or if it will include the swearing-in of ministers as well.

Dr RM Patre, Shinde's family physician, said, "He is doing fine now. He has been experiencing fever, body pain, throat infection, and a cold for the past two days. We have administered antibiotics, and a team of three to four doctors is attending to him."

She said "I don't understand what the problem with the UBT Sena is. They have had only a narrative on who shall become the CM even before they were ousted out of power. They didnt even have the numbers still Sanjay Raut would make a comment every morning and Nana Patole would say the CM is ours. Where were the numbers, the Mahayuti has the numbers and on 5th December, we will have a Chief Minister with absolute consensus..."

"We will provide a government that people want. Our responsibility has now grown because of the massive mandate given by people as reciprocation of our work in the last two-and-a-half years," he said .

Maharashtra caretaker CM Eknath Shinde assured he is recovering well in Satara after falling ill due to an exhaustive election schedule. He confirmed his support for the party's decision on the next chief minister which will be named on Monday. Doctors have diagnosed him with a respiratory infection and recommended rest. Speculation continues about Shinde’s upcoming political decision.

Congress MP Pramod Tiwari criticised the BJP over its handling of the Maharashtra CM post, accusing the party of using Eknath Shinde in a "use and throw" manner. He called the Mahayuti alliance a "story of deception and political degradation," highlighting BJP's alleged lack of credibility.

Meanwhile, BJP state President Chandrashekhar Bawankule announced that the Mahayuti government's oath-taking ceremony, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in attendance, will take place on December 5 at Azad Maidan, Mumbai.

Although the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance secured a landslide victory in the recent Maharashtra Assembly elections, the Chief Minister candidate has yet to be finalized. Mahayuti leaders, including Shinde and Devendra Fadnavis, recently met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president JP Nadda in Delhi.

"I am doing good now. I had come here to rest after the hectic election schedule... I did not take any leave during my 2.5 years as the CM. People are still here to meet me. This is why I fell ill... This government will listen to the people... I have already given my unconditional support to the party leadership and I will support their decision... Our government's work in the last 2.5 years will be written in golden letters in history... This is why people have given us a historic mandate and did not give the opposition a chance to elect a leader of opposition... All three allies of the Mahayuti have a good understanding... The CM candidate will be decided tomorrow," he said.

Aaditya Thackeray, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader, criticiced the Mahayuti alliance's delay in forming a government and naming a chief minister after the Maharashtra assembly election results on November 23. He called the delay an "insult to Maharashtra" and accused the BJP-led alliance of creating "anarchy" by announcing a swearing-in ceremony date (December 5) without formally staking claim to form the government.

Thackeray also questioned why President's rule hasn't been imposed, suggesting a double standard in applying rules to opposition parties. He mocked caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's absence, implying dissatisfaction within the alliance.

BJP leader Raosaheb Danve announced that Maharashtra's next chief minister has been decided, though confirmation from the senior party leadership is still awaited. Without naming anyone, Danve hinted that the people of Maharashtra already know who the CM will be.

The swearing-in ceremony for the new Mahayuti government in Maharashtra is scheduled for the evening of December 5 at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai. State BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule confirmed on Saturday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be present at the event.

Shinde developed a high fever and throat infection on Saturday, prompting a medical team to examine him. His family doctor, R M Parte, confirmed that Shinde had been put on intravenous therapy and was responding well to treatment.

The state Congress unit of Maharashtra issued a notice on Saturday demanding clarification from their candidate Bunty Shelke regarding his comments against the state unit president Nana Patole following the assembly election defeat.

After losing to the BJP candidate in the Nagpur Central assembly constituency, Shelke had labelled Patole as an "RSS agent".

The notice directed Shelke to provide an explanation for his statements within two days, warning of potential party suspension for making "false allegations" against Patole.

In the recent electoral contest, Shelke was defeated by BJP's Pravin Datke with a difference of approximately 12,000 votes.

Sharad Pawar, the NCP (SP) chief, observed on Saturday that Maharashtra witnessed an unprecedented level of power and financial manipulation to influence the entire electoral process, something unseen in previous state or national elections. He made these remarks whilst visiting Dr Baba Adhav, a senior activist who is currently staging a protest against alleged electronic voting machine irregularities in the recent Maharashtra state elections.

Dr Adhav, who is in his nineties, commenced a three-day demonstration on Thursday at Phule Wada, the historic residence of social reformer Jyotiba Phule, situated in the city.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP-SCP) leader Jitendra Awhad has raised serious allegations against the Election Commission of India (ECI), accusing it of erasing crucial data from the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) used in the recent Maharashtra Assembly elections.

The NCP-SCP leader questioned the handling of election data by the ECI, claiming that 46 lakh votes suddenly appeared in Maharashtra within 4-5 months following the Lok Sabha elections.

"We wanted to have a recounting of the machines that were there on the table along with the data. Now, they are saying that the data has been wiped out and they will show new data, and re-count and show it. Then, no mistake will be seen in it, is it a joke? The data on which we have doubts has been wiped out, so are we blind? All this is done by ECI...After losing the Lok Sabha elections, votes were increased. 46 lakh votes in 4-5 months, only in Maharashtra," Awhad said on Saturday.

Meanwhile, NCP chief Sharad Pawar also expressed concerns over discrepancies in the EVM votes in the Maharashtra Assembly elections but acknowledged that he had no concrete proof to back his claims. "This has happened for the first time, the elections held in the country have made people very restless, there is disappointment among the people...Every day at 11:00 am, the opposition leaders raise questions in the Parliament. They put forward their point but their demands are not being accepted in the Parliament and this means that Parliamentary democracy is not being followed properly. If it continues like this, then it is not right and for this, we will have to go among the people and make them aware," Sharad Pawar told reporters in Pune.

Social activist Baba Adhav on Saturday withdrew his hunger strike to safeguard constitutional principles after Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray promised to scale up agitation for a fair election procedure. Earlier, Adhav had raised doubts over the fairness of assembly poll results and criticised govt for excessive use of money power in the presence of NCP chief Ajit Pawar.

Pawar, who also visited Mahatma Phule Wada to request Adhav to call off his hunger strike, defended the use of EVMs and criticised the opposition for raising doubts over the election outcome. "Before the assembly poll, the Lok Sabha election was held, in which MVA won 31 seats, while our alliance managed to secure only 17 seats. At that time, we did not raise any doubt against EVMs and accepted the mandate. Now, if the people of the state changed their mind and voted in favour of Mahayuti, is it our fault?" he said.

While he defended the use of EVMs, Ajit Pawar agreed there is no harm in discussing the issue. "I agree that in democracy, we can discuss the issue (related to EVMs) and if there is no solution, the aggrieved parties can approach the Supreme Court. Even the Supreme Court has rejected the plea against the use of EVMs. It is weird the opposition sees no problem in EVMs when they win and blame it when they face defeat," he said.

Adhav, though, said, "The difference in the Lok Sabha and state assembly poll results is astonishing. It is nothing short of a miracle and therefore, I doubt the fairness of the process. When I pressed the button on the EVM machine, I realised that there is a possibility of manipulation. While raising the doubts, I understand that the responsibility of proving the manipulation lies upon me and some technical experts will throw light on it, but the process lacked fairness," the 95-year-old said. Thackeray and NCP (SP) state president Jayant Patil, who too visited him, promised to take up the agitation at the state level. Accepting Thackeray's request, Adhav ended his three-day-long fast.

Eleven assembly poll candidates, including NCP (SP)'s Baramati nominee Yugendra Pawar, have submitted applications to district administration seeking verification of microcontrollers of 137 EVM sets used in their constituencies during the recently concluded Maharashtra elections and have collectively paid Rs 66.6 lakh for the process, reports Nisha Nambiar.

Among other key candidates who have applied for verification are NCP (SP)'s Hadapsar candidate Prashant Jagtap and Congress' Pune cantonment nominee Ramesh Bagwe.

The applications were to be submitted within the mandatory seven-day window after declaration of results, which ended on Friday.

According to Supreme Court's directions, the candidates who finish second and third in a election can seek verification of microchips embedded in up to 5% of EVMs per assembly constituency after submitting a written request.

District election officials said that they have already intimated the state chief electoral office about the applications received.

NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday said some people had raised red flags on possibility of "30% vote manipulation" ahead of the recent assembly polls in Maharashtra, and the election outcome prima facie showed there was truth to the claims.

"Before elections, some people made a presentation that it is possible (to increase votes through manipulation), and they also raised a red flag saying it will be done in the elections. It was our shortcoming that we did not pay heed to them," Pawar said, questioning role of EC.

"We never thought that EC would go to that extent in taking a wrong stand. After the poll results, however, prima facie it appears that the red flags raised by those people held some truth," he said when asked about opposition's take on EVM issue.

Pawar was at Pune's Mahatma Phule Wada to meet 95-year-old social worker Baba Adhav, who is on a hunger strike against the alleged corruption and use of money in the recent elections.

After the meeting, the veteran politician said, "Parliamentary democracy looks in danger, given the current situation. Those in govt have no interest in this."

"Opposition has been raising the issues in Parliament for the last six days, but not even for a minute has the discussion happened on issues of national interest," Pawar said.

Amid a tussle within the Mahayuti over the Chief Minister post, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Chief Ajit Pawar on Saturday cleared the air and said that it has been decided in the meeting that the CM will be from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the remaining two parties will have Deputy Chief Ministers.
Speaking to the media, Pawar said, "During the meeting (Delhi meeting of Mahayuti leader) it was decided that Mahayuti will form the government with CM from BJP and the remaining two parties will have DCMs."

"This is not the first time there has been a delay... If you remember, in 1999, one month was taken for government formation," he further added.

Earlier, on Thursday night, Maharashtra's caretaker CM Eknath Shinde, along with Devendra Fadnavis, NCP chief Ajit Pawar, and other Mahayuti leaders, met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national president JP Nadda in the national capital.

This comes after reports on Friday suggested that caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde was "upset" and had travelled to his native village amid the delay in forming the government. However, Shiv Sena leader Uday Samant dismissed these claims, clarifying that Shinde would return soon and that the next cabinet would be finalised shortly.

Earlier today, Eknath Shinde's family doctor said that he has been suffering from fever and a throat infection for the past two days.

The doctor mentioned that a team of three to four doctors is treating Eknath Shinde in his native village in Satara district, Maharashtra.

RM Patre, Shinde's family doctor, told ANI, "He is doing fine now. He has been experiencing fever, body pain, throat infection, and cold for the past two days. We have administered antibiotics. A team of three to four doctors is attending to him."

Meanwhile, amid suspense over the announcement of the Chief Ministerial candidate in Maharashtra, BJP state president Chandrashekhar Bawankule announced on Saturday that the oath-taking ceremony of the Mahayuti government will take place on December 5.

The ceremony is scheduled to be held at 5 pm at Azad Maidan in Mumbai.

Bawankule added that the event will be conducted in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In a post on X, Bawankule wrote, "The oath-taking ceremony of the Mahayuti government in Maharashtra will be held in the presence of the pride of the world, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji, on Thursday, December 5, 2024, at 5 PM at Azad Maidan, Mumbai."

Maharashtra Congress has issued a show cause notice to Hrishikesh Shelke, candidate for Nagpur Central Assembly Constituency, over his remarks accusing State President Nana Patole of being an RSS agent. Shelke must provide a written explanation within two days or face suspension for allegedly defaming the party and Patole.

Caretaker Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar addressed the delay in government formation, saying, "During the meeting (Delhi meeting of Mahayuti leader), it was decided that Mahayuti will form the government with CM from BJP and the remaining two parties will have DCMs."

Pawar added, "This is not the first time there has been a delay... If you remember, in 1999, one month was taken for government formation." His remarks come amid growing anticipation over the new Maharashtra government.

Maharashtra BJP Chief Chandrashekar Bawankule announced the Mahayuti government would be sworn in on December 5, 2024, with the event attended by PM Narendra Modi. Deliberations on the CM's identity continue among Mahayuti allies, including Eknath Shinde of Shiv Sena and BJP's Devendra Fadnavis.

Maharashtra Congress has issued a show cause notice to Hrishikesh alias Bunty Shelke, the party's candidate for Nagpur Central Assembly Constituency, for speaking against the party and State President Nana Patole. The notice, issued on Saturday, asks Shelke to explain within two days why he should not be suspended for allegedly defaming the Congress party and Patole. Shelke's remarks have raised concerns within the party, leading to the action.

NCP-SCP leader Jitendra Awhad has raised serious allegations against the Election Commission of India (ECI), accusing it of data tampering in the Maharashtra assembly elections.

"We wanted to have a recounting of the machines that were there on the table along with the data. Now, they are saying that the data has been wiped out and they will show new data, and re-count and show it. Then, no mistake will be seen in it, is it a joke?" Awhad questioned.

He further added, "The data on which we have doubts has been wiped out, so are we blind? All this is done by ECI... After losing the Lok Sabha elections, votes were increased. 46 lakh votes in 4-5 months, only in Maharashtra."

After the Congress Working Committee (CWC) accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of "partisan functioning," senior party leader Harish Rawat claimed an "invisible power" influenced the Maharashtra election outcome.

Speaking to ANI, Rawat said, "The party chief (Mallikarjun Kharge) has clearly stated that we need to take corrective steps. However, it was also highlighted that our defeat was not just due to our own weaknesses but because of an invisible power at play. How can 70 lakh votes be cast within an hour? It's impossible."

The CWC alleged that the electoral process's integrity is being compromised and announced plans for a "national movement" to address these concerns. Congress also questioned the reliability of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), claiming they have made the process suspicious.

In Maharashtra, the Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi suffered a major loss, winning just 46 seats, while the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance secured 230 seats. Similar allegations were raised by Congress in Haryana, where the party fell short despite high expectations.

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Shirsat announced that the Maharashtra government's formation and swearing-in ceremony are expected before December 5. Devendra Fadnavis is the frontrunner for the chief minister position, with backing from BJP and NCP. Tensions among allies are reported, and demands for key departments are highlighted, especially the home department for Shiv Sena.

Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Anand Dubey criticised the delay in forming a government in Maharashtra despite the Mahayuti's clear mandate in the assembly elections.

"Elections were held on November 20 and the results were announced on November 23. It has been a week since then... There is no government in the state. They have got a clear mandate but they don't know who the CM will be... When will they start caring about the needs of the people..." Dubey said.

Questioning the BJP-led alliance's approach, he added, "We are unable to understand their plan of action... In every state, they had declared the CM face on time so why are they giving such a treatment to Maharashtra?... Do they want Central rule in Maharashtra?..."

NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday alleged unprecedented misuse of power and money to control the election process during the Maharashtra Assembly polls, which saw Mahayuti’s landslide victory.

Pawar made the remarks after visiting senior activist Dr Baba Adhav, who is protesting against alleged EVM manipulation at Phule Wada, the historic residence of social reformer Jyotiba Phule.

"There is a murmur among people that the recent polls in Maharashtra saw 'misuse of power' and 'floods of money,' which were unheard of in previous elections. Taking over the entire election mechanism using such means was witnessed here for the first time," Pawar told reporters.

The Mahayuti, comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP, secured 230 out of 288 seats, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) managed only 46.

Pawar claimed opposition voices about EVM manipulation are suppressed in Parliament. “Despite demands, the opposition has not been allowed to speak for six days, showing a blatant attack on parliamentary democracy,” he said.

He called for a mass revolt, warning of a threat to democracy. While admitting he had no proof, Pawar added that the Maharashtra results have made allegations about tampering more plausible.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut has criticised the delay in forming a government in Maharashtra, blaming the "unnatural" election verdict that led to Mahayuti's sweeping victory. Speaking on Saturday, Raut claimed internal differences within the alliance had slowed the process, forcing caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to retreat to his village in Satara during crucial government formation efforts.

"Eight days have passed since results were declared, but Maharashtra has not been able to get a CM. The caretaker CM (Eknath Shinde) has gone to his village. Why is this happening?...The results are unnatural and against the wishes of people. There are agitations all over the state," Raut stated.

Raut also alleged manipulation in the voting process, citing a sudden surge in votes during the last hours of polling. "76 lakh votes were polled from 5 pm to 11.30 pm (on November 20 in Maharashtra). What happened to these 76 lakh votes? Similarly, in Haryana, 14 lakh votes rose. This vote rise was the architect of Mahayuti's victory," he said.

The Mahayuti alliance won 230 out of 288 seats in the state, with the BJP securing 132, while the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) was limited to 46.

Raut rejected speculation about cracks within the MVA and affirmed unity among Congress, NCP (Sharad Pawar), and Shiv Sena (UBT). "No one in the Maha Vikas Aghadi is talking about contesting polls independently," he added, suggesting continued discussions on future electoral strategies.

Only the estranged Thackeray cousins- Uddhav and Raj- can decide if they want to join hands, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve said on Saturday. Danve said Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray's political position is ambiguous and people cannot understand whether he is supporting the state government or opposing it.

"After every poll defeat, there are such talks (that the Thackeray cousins should come together). You will find these discussions every 8-10 days after an election verdict is out. Only they (the Thackeray cousins) can decide if they want to (come together). We have no role," the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council told reporters.

The Uddhav camp loyalist added that Raj Thackeray's political stand is unclear.

"People don't understand whether Raj Thackeray's stand is in the favour of the government or against it. MNS fielded candidates against the Mahayuti, while on the other hand, he (Raj Thackeray) batted for (BJP's Devendra) Fadnavis as chief minister. There is no clarity in his stand," Danve said.

The new government of the Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra will be formed on December 5 with Devendra Fadnavis emerging as the frontrunner to become the next chief minister, a senior BJP leader said on Saturday.

In the November 20 Maharashtra assembly polls, the Mahayuti alliance of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), retained power, pocketing a whopping 230 of the 288 assembly seats. The BJP emerged as the single largest party, winning 132 seats, followed by Shiv Sena with 57 and NCP with 41 seats.

However, even after the announcement of poll results on November 23, no decision has been made on who will be the chief minister. Shinde, Fadnavis and Pawar met BJP president J P Nadda and Union minister Amit Shah late Thursday to thrash out a power-sharing pact for the next government in Maharashtra.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national spokesperson CR Kesavan on Saturday lashed out at the opposition Congress party and called them a failed and frustrated party which had a malicious character.

Speaking to ANI, Kesavan said , "The failed and frustrated Congress Party, which is maliciously character assassinating our Constitutional institutions, poses a very dangerous threat to our nation and democracy. The Congress Party has been a fountainhead of electoral malpractices in the past, and yesterday's CWC Resolution is a mockery and it is deplorable.. There are also working committee members that have said that they don't have problems with the EVMs.. was his view taken into consideration? They should keep in mind that they should not lie.. "

Further, he said that the party was aware of losing in the Maharashtra elections.

"The party was also very aware that they were failing in Maharashtra.. We have reports saying that the Congress President is going to participate in an 'EVM hatao rally'. They should participate in 'Gandhi Parivar hatao rally'... The Congress Party has been exposed because the people of the country know the Congress Party never cares about the nation...for them their dynasty comes first and it is very clear that they are trying to protect their dynasty and not the nation," the BJP spokesperson added.

Noting that a transparent process is followed with the involvement of candidates and their agents at every stage of the voting process, the Election Commission has invited a Congress delegation to meet it on December 3 over its apprehensions concerning the voting percentage in Maharashtra elections. Congress had also raised some apprehensions about the EVM process after the Haryana assembly polls.

The poll panel has said it will review all legitimate concerns of Congress and provide written response after hearing the party's delegation.

The Election Commission of India (ECI), in its interim response to Congress, reaffirmed that there is a transparent process with the involvement of candidates or their agents at every stage.

In its interim response, ECI also reiterated that there is a transparent electoral roll updation process with the involvement of political parties. The Commission has still assured Congress of further review of all its legitimate concerns, the officials said.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Saturday alleged that the "unnatural" verdict in Maharashtra, which saw Mahayuti winning big in assembly polls, has delayed the selection of chief minister for the last eight days. Raut indicated that differences in Mahayuti forced caretaker chief minister Eknath Shinde to go to his village in Satara district amidst the government formation efforts.

Notably, a key Mahayuti meeting scheduled on Friday was put off as Shinde headed to his native village, delaying government formation a week after poll results.

"Eight days have passed since results were declared but Maharashtra has not been able to get a CM. The caretaker CM (Eknath Shinde) has gone to his village. Why is this happening?...The results are unnatural and against the wishes of people. There are agitations all over the state," Raut said.

He alleged that a sudden rise in the number of votes cast in the last hours of polling was the "architect" of the Mahayuti's victory in Maharashtra and Haryana.

"76 lakh votes were polled from 5 pm to 11.30 pm (on November 20 in Maharashtra). What happened to these 76 lakh votes? Similarly, in Haryana, 14 lakh votes rose. This vote rise was the architect of Mahayuti's victory," Raut told reporters.

NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday claimed the misuse of power and money to control the entire election mechanism, which was never before seen in any state assembly or national polls, was witnessed in Maharashtra. Pawar made the statement when he visited senior activist Dr Baba Adhav, who is protesting against the alleged "misuse of EVMs" in the recent state polls in Maharashtra.

Adhav, who is in his 90s, began his three-day protest at Phule Wada, the residence of social reformer Jyotiba Phule, in the city on Thursday.

The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies, the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP), have been alleging manipulation of EVMs in the recently held Maharashtra Assembly elections, which saw a landslide victory by the Mahayuti.