Eknath Shinde was unwilling to join government, says party colleague Uday Samant

Mumbai: Shiv Sena leader Uday Samant on Friday said deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde did not want to join the new Maharashtra government and instead wanted to focus on building his party.

But the Shiv Sena chief, who served as chief minister in the previous Mahayuti government, relented due to the demand of the party leaders, he said.

"Eknath Shinde was not interested in becoming deputy CM. Party MLAs and leaders insisted that he should be part of the government because it is his responsibility to ensure that the schemes he launched are taken forward," Samant told reporters.

After the swearing-in ceremony on Thursday, Shinde spoke to Shiv Sena leaders at the party office, he said.

"He told us he wanted to build the organisation but honoured our request," Samant said.

Devendra Fadnavis was sworn in as chief minister on Thursday while Shinde and NCP chief Ajit Pawar took oath as his deputies, two weeks after the BJP-led Mahayuti coalition won a massive victory in the assembly elections.