It rains pleas at Varsha, the official residence of the Maharashtra chief minister in Mumbai’s Malabar Hill. The sprawling bungalow brims with people, some coming in with grievances and others with appeals from far-flung areas. Aided by a team of efficient bureaucrats, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde tries to resolve issues on the spot.
The day Shinde agreed to meet THE WEEK for an interview was a relatively lean day. The interview was supposed to happen a day earlier, late in the night after he had finished work. But Shinde had a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah that day and hit the bed at only around 2am. So, he invited us for lunch the next day. We were more than happy—meeting the chief minister in a relaxed setting is always better than a hurried, late-night meeting.
Politicians rarely get to sleep in. And, on the day of the interview, Shinde is up by 6am, as he has events lined up since 7am. Talk about having a lean day!
When we reach Varsha, we are ushered into a big, but simply done waiting room. A platter of fruits is served and an aide informs us that the chief minister will see us shortly. Ten minutes later, we are taken to the dining room, where Shinde, 59, stands waiting for us. Dressed in his trademark white outfit and sporting rimless glasses, Shinde greets us with a namaste. “Sorry for the delay,” he says, warmly, and we sit down for lunch.
“The doors of this house are open to everyone, 24x7,” says Shinde. “I know I am here because of the people. I am here to serve them, so I will never close my doors on them. You know how the situation was earlier (when Uddhav Thackeray was chief minister). There was no access; people were not allowed, not even our party legislators.”
Bu hikaye THE WEEK India dergisinin May 21, 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye THE WEEK India dergisinin May 21, 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
The female act
The 19th edition of the Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Festival was of the women and by the women
A SHOT OF ARCHER
An excerpt from the prologue of An Eye for an Eye
MASTER OF MAKE-BELIEVE
50 years. after his first book, Jeffrey*Archer refuses to put down his'felt-tip Pilot pen
Smart and sassy Passi
Pop culture works according to its own unpredictable, crazy logic. An unlikely, overnight celebrity has become the talk of India. Everyone, especially on social media, is discussing, dissing, hissing and mimicking just one person—Shalini Passi.
Energy transition and AI are reshaping shipping
PORTS AND ALLIED infrastructure development are at the heart of India's ambitions to become a maritime heavyweight.
MADE FOR EACH OTHER
Trump’s preferred transactional approach to foreign policy meshes well with Modi’s bent towards strategic autonomy
DOOM AND GLOOM
Democrats’ message came across as vague, preachy and hopelessly removed from reality. And voters believed Trump’s depiction of illegal immigrants as a source of their economic woes
WOES TO WOWS
The fundamental reason behind Trump’s success was his ability to convert average Americans’ feelings of grievance into votes for him
POWER HOUSE
Trump International Hotel was the only place outside the White House where Trump ever dined during his four years as president
DON 2.0
Trump returns to presidency stronger than before, but just as unpredictable