Maharashtra: The Dual-Core Dilemma

Shinde and Fadnavis make for a potent political combination, but only a clear understanding between them can make the government work

- Dnyanesh Jathar

AFTER PROVING MAJORITY in the Maharashtra assembly on July 4, one of the first things that Chief Minister Eknath Shinde did was to visit the memorials of Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray and his mentor, Anand Dighe. The act was clearly aimed at conveying the message that he remained a Shiv Sainik, and that he wanted to follow in the footsteps of Thackeray and Dighe.

Earlier in the assembly, Shinde had spoken in detail about how his rise in the Shiv Sena was hampered by the coterie around Uddhav Thackeray, Balasaheb’s son and Shiv Sena chief. Shinde, who was public works minister in the Devendra Fadnavis government from 2014 to 2019, said Union Minister Nitin Gadkari had told him that he would soon be promoted to deputy chief minister. “But that did not happen, as the [Sena] leadership made sure that the party did not take the deputy chief minister post. I did not protest or say anything, though. I obeyed party orders,” said Shinde in a candid and heartfelt speech.

He said he could have become chief minister after the Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) came to power in 2019. “But that, too, did not happen as we (Shiv Sainiks) were told that Pawar saheb (Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar) had told Uddhav saheb that senior NCP leaders like Ajit Pawar would not agree to work under anyone other than Uddhav Thackeray. Then Uddhav saheb became chief minister and we got down to work. A few months later, I casually asked Ajit dada whether he and other NCP leaders had made such a demand. To my surprise, Ajit dada told me that the NCP had not made any such demand, and nor had it opposed my name. He said the decision on who becomes chief minister was entirely left to the Sena leadership,” said Shinde.