Amid suspense over the Mahayuti alliance’s CM pick, Maharashtra caretaker chief minister Eknath Shinde cancelled his appointments on Friday, Shiv Sena spokesperson Manisha Kayande confirmed.

Sources in the party told HT that Eknath Shinde is travelling to his native village in Satara district.

The development comes a day after leaders of the three political parties in the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance – Shiv Sena’s Eknath Shinde, BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis and NCP’s Ajit Pawar – met Union home minister Amit Shah and BJP national president JP Nadda in Delhi to discuss the power-sharing arrangement in the state.

Shah also discussed the crucial formula for Cabinet berths to be distributed among the three parties in the coalition, which is expected to be sworn in early next week.

While the BJP will get the chief minister’s post, Shah is believed to have given the nod for two deputy chief ministers, one from each ally, the Shiv Sena and the NCP.