Maharashtra CM News Highlights: 'Mahayuti leaders' meet in Delhi on Thursday to decide CM,' says Ajit Pawar

The BJP emerged as the largest party in the Assembly elections with 132 seats, followed by Shiv Sena with 57 and Ajit Pawar-led NCP with 41. Despite the coalition’s resounding victory, the leadership question remains unresolved.

Shinde tendered his resignation to Governor C P Radhakrishnan on November 26, who requested him to serve as caretaker Chief Minister until a new government is sworn in.

While rituals highlight grassroots support for Shinde, speculation is rife about whether he will retain the top post or if BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis, credited with steering the alliance to victory, will take over.

The final decision is awaited, leaving the political landscape in Maharashtra hanging in balance.

In a bid to secure Eknath Shinde’s continuation as Maharashtra’s Chief Minister in the yet-to-be-formed Mahayuti 2.0 government, priests across the state are performing rituals in over 100 temples.

Faithful Support for Shinde
Akshay Bhosale, head of Shiv Sena's Dharmavir Adhyatmik Sena, confirmed that havans and pujas are being conducted as a gesture of gratitude for Shinde's welfare initiatives for priests and seers. These religious leaders were instrumental in mobilizing support for the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance, particularly in rural areas.

"Shinde’s efforts for the community have left a lasting impact, prompting this wave of devotion," said Bhosale.

Shinde’s past visits to the revered Kamakhya temple in Assam are also cited as part of his spiritual connection.

A video clip alleging that Congress candidate Kunalbaba Rohidas Patil received "zero votes" in Avadhan village, Dhule Rural constituency, during the Maharashtra Assembly elections has been proven false. The video, widely shared on social media, claimed that villagers were protesting against alleged vote manipulation. However, an investigation by PTI Fact Check debunks these claims.

Viral Video Sparks False Allegations
On November 25, a Facebook user shared the video, stating, “Seventy per cent of the people in Avadhan village are protesting because Congress received zero votes despite their support. This is proof of BJP’s vote manipulation.” The clip gained widespread traction, with millions of views and shares on platforms like X and Facebook.

District Authorities Deny Incident
Dhule's District Information Office refuted the claims, confirming that no such protests occurred in Avadhan village. The election returning officer for Dhule Rural, Rohan Kuwar, also verified that no irregularities were reported during the election.

The village of Avadhan, part of the Dhule Rural constituency, has four polling stations—247, 248, 249, and 250. Official data shows that Congress candidate Kunalbaba Rohidas Patil received votes at all four locations:

Polling station 247: 227 votes
Polling station 248: 234 votes
Polling station 249: 252 votes
Polling station 250: 344 votes
This totals 1,057 votes from Avadhan alone, discrediting the claim of "zero votes."

Election Results Confirm BJP Victory
According to the Election Commission's data, BJP candidate Raghvendra (Ramdada) Manohar Patil won the Dhule Rural seat with 1,70,398 votes, defeating Congress's Kunalbaba Rohidas Patil, who secured 1,04,078 votes.

Statewide, the BJP-led MahaYuti alliance dominated the elections, winning 230 of 288 seats, while the Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) managed just 46.

Conclusion
The viral claim suggesting Congress received "zero votes" in Avadhan village is entirely baseless. Official election data and statements from district authorities confirm that Congress did secure votes in the village. The origin of the viral video remains unverified. For detailed findings, refer to the full fact-check report here.

Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde resigned on Tuesday, setting the stage for a leadership change as the ruling Mahayuti alliance struggles to finalize its choice for the state’s top post. While Shinde’s Shiv Sena faction is pushing for his continuation, the BJP has been advocating for its own candidate.

Shinde, accompanied by Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, met Governor C P Radhakrishnan to formally submit his resignation. The Governor accepted it and requested Shinde to serve as caretaker Chief Minister until a new government is formed. With the term of the outgoing assembly ending on Tuesday, the transition process has gained urgency.

The Mahayuti alliance secured a landslide victory in the recent assembly elections, winning 230 of the 288 seats. The BJP emerged as the largest party with 132 seats, followed by the Shiv Sena faction with 57 and Ajit Pawar's NCP with 41.