How Shinde was won over: The final hours

BOTH THE STRING of BJP leaders calling on him to placate him over the past three days, as well as pressure from his own MLAs, seem to have finally convinced Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde to agree to take oath as Deputy Chief Minister, just two hours to go for the Maharashtra government swearing-in.

- VALLABH OZARKAR & SHUBHANGI KHAPRE

The announcement was made by Sena leader and former minister Uday Samant, who said: "Shinde ji will take oath as the Deputy CM of Maharashtra."

Incidentally, Samant himself had said hours earlier that if Shinde did not accept the Deputy CM post, no one from the Sena would be part of the government.

Sources said Shinde dragged out the matter due to reservations over certain key portfolios. On the Sena's main demand—the Home portfolio, apart from the Deputy CM post—a BJP insider said: "It was conveyed to Shinde that if he is so keen on Home, then the Sena would have to let go of the Urban Development Ministry, as that would then go to the CM."