Shiv Sena leader and ,Mahrashtra caretaker chief minister Eknath Shinde was on Tuesday rushed to Jupiter Hospital in Thane after his health condition failed to improve.
Shinde has been suffering from a throat infection and high fever since Friday when he left for his native village in Satara district of the state. He returned to Mumbai on December 1 amid suspense over the announcement of the next Maharashtra chief minister, but his health condition did not improve.
According to sources, doctors have now advised Shinde to undergo a full health examination.
The development comes as preparations for the swearing-in ceremony of a BJP chief minister are underway at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan.
Meanwhile, a meeting of the BJP’s state unit was held in Mumbai on Tuesday to discuss government formation in Maharashtra.
The BJP, which contested the Maharashtra assembly elections in alliance with Shinde’s Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar’s NCP, secured a landslide victory.
The BJP won 132 seats, while Shinde’s Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar’s NCP secured 57 and 41 seats, respectively.
However, even after 10 days since their landslide victory, the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance has failed to reach a consensus on the Chief Minister’s name.
While BJP leaders maintain that the CM will be from their party, no official announcement has been made in this regard. The swearing-in ceremony, however, is scheduled for December 5.
It remains unclear whether Eknath Shinde’s party will be part of the new government. Even if Shinde decides to stay out, the BJP is expected to comfortably form the government with the support of Ajit Pawar’s NCP.