Maharashtra caretaker chief minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday clarified that he went to his native village in Satara to rest after a hectic election schedule and said he is ‘doing good now.’
The Shiv Sena leader had traveled to his native village on Friday after returning from a high-level meeting with BJP leaders in Delhi.
Speculations were rife that Shinde was upset over the chief ministerial decision, however a Sena leader later dismissed the rumours and said the caretaker chief minister was in full support of the BJP’s top leadership.
Shinde had fallen ill after going to his native village, the Sena leader was down with fever and throat infection.
Speaking to reporters in Satara, Shinde said, “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.”
He further reiterated his “unconditional support” to the saffron party’s leadership and said he will support their decision.
Shinde said that his government’s work in Maharashtra 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,” he added.
In another big announcement, Shinde said that the Maharashtra CM candidate will be decided tomorrow, Monday, December 2.
Shinde had reportedly developed high fever on Saturday and a team of doctors checked on him following the same. His family doctor RM Parte told news channels that the caretaker CM had fever and throat infection.
“He has been given medicines and put on IV (intra-venous therapy for medication). He will feel better in two days. He is leaving for Mumbai on Sunday,” Dr Parte was quoted as saying by PTI.
A close aide of Shinde had said that he has been under the weather for quite sometime, leading to the fever on Saturday.
Notably, the Mahayuti government’s oath-taking ceremony will take place at Azad Maidan on December 5, in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP state chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule said on Saturday.
Later in the day, NCP chief Ajit Pawar revealed that the chief ministerial face will go to the BJP, while the two deputy CM picks will go to Shiv Sena and his party.