BJP appoints observers for meeting to decide next Maharashtra chief minister

No formal announcement has been made so far.

However, senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis is widely seen as the frontrunner for the post.

Outgoing Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who was in the race for the top post in Maharashtra, earlier said that he left the decision to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Shinde said: "I have told PM Modi that I would not be an obstacle. We would go with whatever he decides."

While Fadnavis is likely to take oath as CM, Mahayuti's alliance partners will have two deputy CMs, each from Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party.

The new arrangement clearly shows how the Bharatiya Janata Party emerged as a dominant force following its thumping victory in last week's Maharashtra elections.

The Mahayuti comprising Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Shiv Sena (Shinde camp) and Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar faction) won a massive 230 of 288 seats.

Out of 230, the BJP dominated with a tremendous strike rate, winning 132, the highest ever by the saffron party in the state.

Soon after the results were declared, Shinde, as per reports, remained firm in continuing as the Chief Minister.

On Tuesday, Eknath Shinde resigned as per norms before the formation of a new government

He will continue as the caretaker Chief Minister till the oath-taking ceremony.