Unlike Shinde, Pawar is going all out to woo the BJP, stressing that the party deserves the chief minister’s post, to try and secure the finance portfolio

According to reports, Shinde was scheduled to attend a Mahayuti leaders meeting to finalise portfolio allocations. He is suffering from a throat infection and fever and did not return to his official residence, Varsha, in Mumbai. Shinde is currently staying in his native village in Satara.

Maharashtra caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde cancelled his meetings with Mahayuti leaders to discuss the new government formation due to his ill health, extending the deadlock that has persisted for 10 days since the alliance's massive win last month.