Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde to visit New Delhi on Friday

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will visit New Delhi on Friday, his first tour of the national capital after taking oath of his new office last month, an official said on Thursday.

According to his tour itinerary, Shinde, who was sworn in as chief minister on June 30, will take a government chartered flight for New Delhi on Friday evening. However, his engagements in the national capital were not disclosed.

He will leave for Pune on Saturday evening and proceed to the temple town of Pandharpur for taking part in the 'Ashadi Ekadashi' maha puja on early Sunday morning. Pandharpur in Solapur district houses a famous temple dedicated to Lord Vitthal and Goddess Rukmini. It has been a long-standing tradition in Maharashtra for the chief minister of the day and his spouse to attend the early morning prayers at the temple on 'Ashadi Ekadashi', a prominent Hindu festival. Shinde's visit comes ahead of the July 11 hearing in the Supreme Court on a petition seeking disqualification of 15 rebel Shiv Sena MLAs. Rebellion by a section of Sena MLAs, led by Shinde, resulted in the collapse of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government last month.