Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde was honoured with the Mahadji Shinde Rashtra Gaurav Puraskar by NCP leader Sharad Pawar on Tuesday in Delhi in the presence of Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia. The award includes a cash prize of five lakh rupees, a citation, a memento, and the traditional Shindeshahi turban.
During his speech at the event, Shinde lauded Pawar’s political acumen, stating, “No one understands the googly bowled by Pawar in politics, even people close to him don’t realise it. But I am sure he will not bowl a googly (political trick) at me.” He further remarked, “One should learn from Pawar how to maintain relations in politics.”
Reflecting on his tenure, Shinde said, “I have never resorted to making personal attacks in politics. Many allegations were made against me, but I responded with my work. When I got the opportunity to become Chief Minister, I realised that time was limited.”
The event created a stir in political circles due to the presence of both Shinde and Pawar on the same stage.
The gesture of Pawar felicitating Shinde added to the intrigue, as Shinde is a staunch opponent of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), which is in alliance with Pawar’s party under the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). The political repercussions of this event are expected to unfold in the coming days, with reactions anticipated from both the MVA and Mahayuti alliance parties.
