Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde goes on 3-day vacation

Mumbai: The political corridor is abuzz ever since Chief Minister Eknath Shinde left for his village Dare in Satara district on a three-day vacation along with his family members.

According to an official in the CMO, Shinde has gone to his village to perform pooja and is expected to be back in office on Wednesday. But another version is that after his recent hectic schedule, he badly needed some rest and decided to club it with the village pooja.

Political observers, however, feel Shinde is miffed at the suggestion in certain quarters that he is politically expendable and that he may lose his pre-eminent position to Ajit Pawar. The NCP leader is expected to cross over with a breakaway group, in case the SC verdict in the Shiv Sena case goes against the Shinde group and they stand disqualified.

NCP spokesperson claims Shinde asked to swap role with Fadnavis

NCP spokesperson Clyde Castro, meanwhile, has reinforced the buzz by suggesting a 'role reversal' between Shinde and Fadnavis. “Is this true?? Sources in the media say that there will be a role reversal between Eknath Shinde and Devendra Fadnavis in the incumbent Maharashtra government. Hush-hush meetings in Delhi...,” he tweeted.

Senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal too has said that the chief minister will change only if the Apex Court disqualifies the MLAs; however, a senior leader of the Shinde faction, Shambhuraj Desai, has said that his party enjoys the support of around 185 MLAs and they can go for a floor test anytime.