New Delhi: Speculation and intense political debates have once again peaked in Maharashtra’s political circles. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’s recent visit to Delhi clearly highlights the ongoing internal friction and ‘power game’ within the state’s coalition government.
The Whole Matter: Together with Home Minister, but Alone with the PM!
Yesterday (Thursday) morning, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis arrived in Delhi with a large delegation. He was accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Sumitra Pawar, and several key ministers from the Maharashtra cabinet.
At the beginning of the tour, everything seemed smooth and united:
Meeting with Central Home Minister Amit Shah: Fadnavis, Shinde, and Sumitra Pawar were all present at this meeting. Positive discussions were held regarding the issues faced by Maharashtra’s sugarcane and onion farmers, and assurances were given to find a solution.
Meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi: The real political drama unfolded after this. Chief Minister Fadnavis met PM Modi along with BJP National President Nitin Naveen. However, shockingly, both Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Sumitra Pawar were kept away from this crucial meeting. No other leader from the Maharashtra BJP was present either.
Questions in Political Circles: Taking such senior colleagues from one’s own cabinet to Delhi, only to sideline them during the meeting with the Prime Minister and meet him alone, is perhaps the first unprecedented incident of its kind in Maharashtra’s political history.
Changed Equations: An Attempt to ‘Clip Shinde’s Wings’ or Something Else?
Maharashtra’s politics has taken a major turn since the last assembly elections. There was a time when Eknath Shinde was the Chief Minister and Devendra Fadnavis was working under him as the Deputy Chief Minister. Today, this scenario has completely reversed—Fadnavis is holding the reins of the state, and Shinde is in the role of Deputy Chief Minister.
According to political analysts, the BJP, which split the Shiv Sena to bring them into the alliance, achieved only partial success. While they succeeded in separating Shinde from the Shiv Sena, the attempt to merge his faction into the BJP failed. Now, the BJP leadership is consistently working on a strategy to limit the strength of the Shinde faction and ‘clip their wings’; this ‘solo’ meeting with PM Modi is being viewed as a part of the same strategy.
Eknath Shinde Proves to be a ‘Seasoned Player’
Despite this firm stance by the BJP, Eknath Shinde is playing on the front foot like a seasoned politician. He has not only succeeded in keeping his party leaders and workers united, but he also knows very well how to get his demands accepted by the BJP leadership.
The Seat-Sharing Drama: Shinde smartly handled the BJP leadership’s dilly-dallying and ‘reluctance’ over seat sharing during the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, ensuring all decisions eventually favored his stance.
Local Body Elections: Even when a similar situation arose during the local municipal elections, Shinde’s skillful strategy did not let the morale of Shiv Sena workers drop, and they stood their ground firmly.
This Delhi visit has made it clear that even if everything looks fine on the surface, a fast-paced game of check and mate is underway behind the scenes within Maharashtra’s Mahayuti (alliance). It remains to be seen with what political move Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde counters Fadnavis’s ‘solo’ meeting in the coming days.