Maharashtra’s caretaker Chief Minister, Eknath Shinde, was admitted to Jupiter Hospital in Thane on Tuesday after his health condition showed no improvement, according to ANI sources. Doctors have recommended a thorough medical evaluation.
When asked about his health, Shinde reassured reporters, saying, “Badhiya hai (all good).”
On November 30, Shinde’s family doctor revealed that the CM had been experiencing fever, body pain, throat infection, and cold for the past two days. A team of three to four doctors had been attending to him in his native village in Satara district, Maharashtra. “He is doing fine now. We have administered antibiotics,” said Dr. R.M. Patre, his family doctor.
Shinde had traveled to his village in Satara last Friday, reportedly for rest following a hectic election campaign. However, there were speculations that his visit was linked to dissatisfaction over not being considered for another term as Chief Minister, which Shinde denied.
Meanwhile, the suspense over Maharashtra’s next Chief Minister will end on December 4, when the BJP legislature party selects its leader. The BJP has appointed Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani as central observers for the meeting.
Devendra Fadnavis, the two-time former Chief Minister, is seen as the frontrunner for the post. The new Chief Minister is set to take the oath of office at 5 PM on December 5 at Azad Maidan, Mumbai, in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and senior BJP leaders.
Preparations for the ceremony are underway, and the BJP has announced that the Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), the BJP’s main allies in the Mahayuti coalition, are expected to hold the Deputy Chief Minister positions in the new government.
In the recent Maharashtra Assembly elections, the Mahayuti coalition secured 230 of the 288 seats, with the BJP winning 132, Shiv Sena 57, and NCP 41 seats.
