Shinde in Hospital: Caretaker Chief Minister of Maharashtra Eknath Shinde has been taken to a private hospital in the city on Tuesday morning for a “routine checkup”. “I am fine, don’t worry,” Shinde told reporters while being taken to Jupiter Hospital, Thane.
Shiv Sena leader Uday Samant said it was a “routine checkup” and Shinde would return to Varsha, his official residence in Mumbai. He added, “They have throat infection, weakness and fever. Their blood will be tested.”
Shinde has been ill for the past few days and is staying at his private residence here. It is understood that he has been taken to the hospital only because his health has not improved. His party, Shiv Sena, is part of Maharashtra’s ruling coalition BJP-led Mahayuti. After this alliance registered a huge victory in the assembly elections held last November, BJP, the largest party in the alliance, refused to make him the chief minister again and insisted on making him the chief minister. Initially, Shinde was said to be angry because of this, but later he agreed with the BJP.
During the same episode, his decision to move to his native village Dare in Satara district last Friday had given rise to various speculations that he was unhappy with the way the new Mahayuti government was formed. However, those close to him said he was not well and that his health had deteriorated due to intense campaigning during the Maharashtra assembly election campaign last month. -PTI