 "Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde")
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday exuded confidence about completing his tenure in office and even winning the next elections in alliance with the BJP.
Addressing a press conference here with Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis by his side, he said a decision about the expansion of the Maharashtra council of ministers will be taken in Mumbai next week.
Shinde and Fadnavis, who arrived in the national capital on Friday night, met President Ram Nath Kovind, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and BJP chief J P Nadda on Saturday.
Earlier, the Maharashtra chief minister and his deputy had lengthy deliberations with Union Home Minister Amit Shah during which the broad contours of the power-sharing arrangement were learnt to have been finalised.
Shinde dismissed his predecessor Uddhav Thackeray's call for mid-term elections, asserting the state government was strong and enjoyed the support of 164 MLAs in the house of 288 while the opposition had just 99 legislators.
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At the press conference, when Fadnavis was asked about the BJP cadre being unhappy over his "demotion" to the post of deputy chief minister, he said that on the contrary, the party workers were happy that the "injustice" done to them in 2019 has been rectified.
The BJP workers were happy as natural allies BJP and Shiv Sena have formed government, unseating the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, he said.
"It is very clear. The chief minister is the leader. We will work towards making this government successful," Fadnavis said.
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