New Delhi (Agency): A late-night meeting held between Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, a senior leader of BJP, has ignited a spark of uncertainty amidst the political landscape of Maharashtra, according to sources. The clandestine assembly took place amid escalating discontent among Shiv Sena MLAs, amplifying conjecture around the stability of Shinde’s leadership.
This peculiar gathering unfolded mere days after Shinde dismissed murmurs of discomfort among his Shiv Sena MLAs, regarding the controversial integration of Ajit Pawar and eight additional Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) legislators into the state cabinet. The CM assuredly proclaimed his intention to retain his role until 2024, dispelling rumours of a potential ouster.
As it stands, the Maharashtra cabinet has swelled to encompass 29 ministers, following the induction of NCP leaders on Sunday. However, there remains room for an additional 14.
The late-night rendezvous has not gone unnoticed by the Sharad Pawar-led NCP faction, which perceives the meeting as confirmation of discord within the Shiv Sena and BJP over the recent cabinet adjustments. They believe it underscores the unease festering among the Shiv Sena MLAs and the state BJP regarding the NCP legislator inclusion.
Mahesh Tapase, the spokesperson of the Sharad Pawar faction, voiced his concern stating that the very essence of Shiv Sena MLAs’ rebellion, which triggered the downfall of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government, risks being invalidated if Ajit Pawar and his MLAs secure coveted posts. “There is unrest among Shinde’s MLAs on how they will face the electorate again,” Tapase said in an official statement.
The apprehension among Shiv Sena MLAs over securing ministerial positions was also spotlighted by Tapase. He professed that the secretive meeting between Shinde and Fadnavis unveiled the growing turmoil among the MLAs.
Meanwhile, NCP’s founder Sharad Pawar returned from Delhi late on Thursday, holding a meeting with his state unit chief Jayant Patil and others at his south Mumbai residence. After aligning with the ruling coalition, Ajit Pawar predicted an electoral triumph of more than 71 seats for NCP and also hinted at their ambition to contest 90 assembly seats.
Among the flurry of political rendezvous, former NCP legislator Dhanraj Mahale from Dindori in Nashik district, as well as Pune’s former corporator Harshada Vanjale and her family, extended their support to Ajit Pawar. In a surprising move, BJP legislator Abhimanyu Pawar, who is considered a crucial associate of Devendra Fadnavis, also met Ajit Pawar.
Despite the turbulence and uncertainty over the allotment of portfolios, Pawar is scheduled to participate in a program at the Sahyadri Guest House, distributing keys of homes allotted through a lottery to mill workers and their kin.
