Mumbai: Two months after the formation of the BJP-led Mahayuti government in Maharashtra, differences between the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and its alliance partners—the BJP and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP—seem to be growing.
Signs of discord have surfaced in recent weeks, including the exclusion of Shiv Sena MLAs from a District Planning and Development Committee (DPDC) meeting called by Finance Minister Ajit Pawar, the appointment of an IAS officer as Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) head instead of a Shiv Sena nominee, and a review of schemes launched when chief minister.
In the latest sign of growing tensions, Shinde skipped two meetings chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis Wednesday as the city gears up for Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections where both the BJP and Shiv Sena are trying to establish their dominance.
On Tuesday, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar called a DPDC meeting for Raigad district, but none of the Shiv Sena MLAs were present, not even cabinet minister Bharat Gogawale who is an MLA from the region. Although NCP’s Aditi Tatkare, a state minister and guardian minister for Raigad, was present, Shiv Sena MLAs complained they were not invited.
“We were not invited to the district committee meeting, which was called for the planning and development of Raigad. Though we could see that Aditi Tatkare was present, none of us Shiv Sainiks were called,” said Shiv Sena MLA Mahendra Dalvi. “It feels like we were purposely kept away.”
However, Eknath Shinde downplayed the issue.
“The meeting was held regarding Raigad and all the MLAs who have any suggestions regarding their regions can give them to us. Myself, the CM and finance minister Ajit Pawar will try to solve it,” Shinde told reporters in Mumbai.
Yet, the larger issue of the appointment of guardian ministers remains unresolved.
The appointment of Aditi Tatkare from the Ajit Pawar-led NCP as the guardian minister for Raigad and the BJP’s Girish Mahajan as the guardian minister for Nashik especially stung the Shinde-led Sena, which had its own candidates in mind. Shiv Sainiks even took to the streets in protest.
The government put the appointments on hold, promising to resolve the matter when Fadnavis returned from the World Economic Forum in Davos.
It has been over two weeks since the chief minister got back, but the issue remains unresolved.
“He (Shinde) had even said publicly that it would be resolved very soon but he had wanted the issue of the guardian minister to be solved after Fadnavis came back from Davos. It is still pending,” said a Shiv Sena leader. “We are not in small numbers now. We are a group of 60. So yes, we want our say in the government as well.”
Political analyst Abhay Deshpande said the tensions wouldn’t impact the government as Shinde is known to be a hard bargainer. Though his past as CM could make adjusting to a secondary role challenging, he added.
“He had been chief minister before. So yes, playing a secondary role now is a bit problematic for him. It will take some time for him to come around. But otherwise, I don’t think there is any major issue,” said Deshpande.
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Welfare schemes under review
Cabinet meetings have also become a flashpoint.
On Tuesday, the government announced that it would amend the state Disaster Management Act to accommodate Eknath Shinde.
According to the new rules, the disaster management authority headed by the chief minister will have nine members, including both deputy chief ministers.
However, on Monday, Shinde was excluded from the disaster management authority, though he is in charge of the urban development department and is the guardian minister for Mumbai.
The authority, formed after the devastating Mumbai floods in 2005, plays a crucial role in handling flood-related crises in Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur.
In the last couple of cabinet meetings, some welfare schemes have been placed under review. These include the Anandacha Shidha or a ration kit given to poor people during festivals when Shinde was chief minister; the Mukhyamantri Teerth Darshan Yojana, where senior citizens get financial assistance to go on pilgrimage; and the low-cost Shiv Bhojan meal scheme started by the MVA government during the pandemic and was a part of the Shiv Sena’s 2019 manifesto.
Government sources told ThePrint these schemes won’t be scrapped but they might be modified due to Maharashtra’s financial condition.
Another snub came with the appointment of the Transport Department’s additional chief secretary, Sanjay Sethi, as MSRTC chairman.
The previous chairman, Bharat Gogawale, a Shiv Sena MLA, vacated the seat when he joined the cabinet. The Shiv Sena wanted one of its MLAs who could not be accommodated in the cabinet in the position.
“After the historic win under the leadership of Shinde saheb, all of us thought he would continue to lead the government. However, that did not happen,” said a Shiv Sena leader.
“Besides, a few demands made by him regarding cabinets were also not fulfilled. It is natural to feel upset. But that does not mean he is taking it out in cabinet meetings or publicly. He is a mature politician.”
Shinde sulking?
Shinde’s absence from key meetings has fuelled speculation of his discontent.
Last Monday, he was conspicuous by his absence at a war room meeting held by the chief minister to discuss projects related to various departments such as health, housing (a portfolio held by Shinde), and water supply and sanitation, held by the Sena ministers.
Two weeks ago, too, he failed to show up for a cabinet meeting.
Earlier in January, after disagreements over the guardian ministership, Shinde retreated to his village, Dare, in Satara district.
The Devendra Fadnavis-led Maharashtra government named guardian ministers for Maharashtra’s 36 districts more than a month after inducting a full cabinet. In Raigad, the Shiv Sena’s Bharat Gogawale was eyeing the post, while in Nagpur, the party’s Dada Bhuse was an aspirant.
Days after the Mahayuti swept the Assembly polls, with the BJP emerging as the single largest party with 132 of the Mahayuti’s 230 seats out of 288, the coalition chose Fadnavis as the new CM, which reportedly upset Shinde.
So, for a few days, he remained in his village. He surfaced a few days later and “clarified” that he was resting as he was unwell.
Even during the portfolio distribution, Shinde wanted the home portfolio but relented at the last minute.
Shinde has repeatedly claimed that he is not upset and goes to his village for either rest or some work.
However, in almost every public meeting that the deputy CM has addressed in the past two months, he has reminded people of his tenure as CM.
After that, he goes on to explain how earlier he was CM (common man), but now as a DCM (dedicated to the common man) he will continue doing his work as a normal ‘karyakarta’.
Shinde recently took out his own yatra in Nanded to thank people for voting for the Shiv Sena in large numbers.
(Edited by Sugita Katyal)
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