Modi’s party to share power in India’s richest state

Bloomberg

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party will share power to govern India’s richest state of Maharashtra, a senior party member said, a day after the chief minister resigned following a rebellion by lawmakers of his own party.
More than half the legislators of Uddhav Thackeray’s right-wing Shiv Sena have exited his ruling coalition claiming he has deviated from the party’s Hindu nationalist ideology after he snapped a three-decade tie with Modi’s BJP. Late Wednesday, Thackeray stepped down after the Supreme Court said he would have to prove his majority in the state legislature.
Eknath Shinde, who heads the Shiv Sena’s breakaway faction, will be the next chief minister of the state, Devendra Fadnavis, senior leader and a former BJP chief minister from Maharashtra told reporters in state capital Mumbai. An alliance will strengthen the BJP, giving it control of India’s second-most populous state ahead of national elections in 2024.
“Members of our party and the seniors in the parties that are supporting us will be given a chance to participate in this government,” Fadnavis said. “And there will be an expansion of the cabinet of ministers.” He gave few other details, except to say that Shinde will take oath of office later Thursday.
The Shiv Sena and the BJP are natural allies and the new government will follow a Hindu nationalist ideology and work for the development of the state, Shinde told reporters, claiming he had the support of 50 legislators from his party.
Control of Maharashtra will help Modi implement his push to attract foreign investment and revitalize the nation’s manufacturing base.