After returning from Delhi, where he met BJP national leaders regarding the next Maharashtra Chief Minister post, Eknath Shinde travelled to his hometown, Satara.

A key Mahayuti meeting scheduled on Friday was put off and likely to take place on Sunday now as outgoing Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde headed to his native village, delaying government formation a week after poll results.

A day after the Mahayuti leaders' meeting with Union home minister Amit Shah in New Delhi, caretaker CM Eknath Shinde left for his village Dare Tamb in Mahabaleshwar taluka in Satara district. Sources said the BJP is working on him to get him to accept the deputy CM's post.

After meeting Amit Shah, Mahayuti leaders were supposed to meet in Mumbai to make key decisions regarding the formation of the Maharashtra government on Friday

Despite the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance securing a massive victory, winning 230 seats in the 288-member assembly, consensus has eluded the ruling combine's leaders so far on who should be the next CM. Shinde's supporters have been saying that he should continue as CM as the landslide win was achieved under his leadership.

In a critical meeting among Mahayuti leaders and BJP top brass, no consensus was reached regarding the next Chief Minister of Maharashtra. With Shinde’s concession and Fadnavis poised for leadership,

The suspense over Maharashtra government formation is set to last at least two more days as a key Mahayuti meeting in Mumbai has been cancelled and Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde has left for his native village in Sitara.

Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde visited Delhi on Thursday to meet Amit Shah to discuss the formation of the next government in the state. His deputies in the outgoing state cabinet – Devendra Fadnavis (BJP) and Ajit Pawar (NCP) - also met the senior BJP leader.