BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis and rebel Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde are expected to take oath on Thursday evening.
The duo met Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari at Raj Bhawan and Fadnavis staked claim for government formation in Maharashtra while Shinde faction pledged support to the BJP.
Eknath Shinde arrived in Mumbai from Goa on Thursday. He was provided with a Z category security cover by the Centre.
Meanwhile, the rebel MLAs have stayed put in Goa, where they arrived on Wednesday following Uddhav Thackeray’s resignation.