However, Shiv Sena (UBT) slammed the BJP saying it was still betraying its alliance partners and Mr Shinde’s usefulness was over.

Until the last day, it was not clear whether Mr. Shinde would join the government or not. The suspense ended only after he took oath as deputy chief minister. “All Shiv Sena legislators have informed Mr. Shinde that none of us will accept the responsibility of becoming DCM. He was of the opinion that one of us should become a DCM and he wanted to stay out of government and work. But we told him that we wanted him in the government and if he was not there, none of us would join the government,” Mr Samant said.

Another Shiv Sena leader and former minister, Deepak Kesarkar, also confirmed that Shiv Sena MPs had asked Eknath Shinde to accept the post of deputy chief minister. “All Shiv Sena MPs met Eknath Shinde last night and requested him to be part of the Maharashtra cabinet and accept the post of Deputy CM. He assured us that he would consider our request positively. And he (Eknath Shinde) always listens to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. So we were convinced that if a message came from them, he would give in,” the former minister said.

However, it is still unclear whether Mr Shinde will get the Home Ministry. Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Shirsat said Mr Shinde would hold a meeting with Mr Shah to finalize decisions on key ministerial portfolios.

However, the Shiv Sena (UBT) termed this as the end of the “Shinde era”. Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut said ‘use and throw’ was the policy of the BJP with its alliance partners. He also said that Mr. Shinde would never return as CM.

“Mr. Shinde’s usefulness to the BJP is over. The Shinde era is over. It was for two years. His goal was achieved and he was shelved. He will never again be the Prime Minister of This state. They can even disrupt Mr. Shinde’s party. This has always been the political line of the BJP: they finish the parties that work with them,” Mr. Raut said.