Amid the talks of tension between the ruling parties, the Shiv Sena has claimed that Eknath Shinde was the most popular in the state as he was the people's top choice for the Chief Minister's position, followed by the BJP's Devendra Fadnavis at the second place. 

The Sena supported the claim with survey findings, creating a stir in the BJP camp that has so far dominated the alliance politics. Shinde's party published full-page advertisements on Tuesday, the day the cabinet was scheduled to meet. Many saw it as an effort to poke Fadnavis, a hot contender for the CM's post next year and currently the BJP's undisputed leader in Maharashtra. At the same time, the campaign cajoled PM Narendra Modi, who shared the space with the CM.