Mumbai: Maharashtra can heave a political sigh. Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde has finally veered round to the view that he must reclaim his political space in the Mahayuti government by joining the Devendra Fadnavis cabinet as a Deputy Chief Minister. The denouement came in the form of an extended meeting when Fadnavis called on Shinde for the second time in two days, at Varsha, the caretaker Chief Minister’s official residence.
Shinde has purportedly relented to pressure from party colleagues and allies and will go with the political flow, for the time being. Shinde, who was initially insisting on the Home Department, appears to have resolved the dilemma in his own mind by accepting other crucial portfolios. Political exigency and compulsions of coalition dharma have essentially prevailed.
Eknath Shinde Likely To Get Urban Development Portfolio
Shinde is tipped to get the Urban Development portfolio, which is expected to assuage his pride. Sources familiar with the matter revealed that Fadnavis and Shinde took their discussion forward and also finalized a list of ministers who are expected to take oath on Thursday. That should set at rest the speculation that government formation is in a state of limbo.
Shinde was reportedly hesitant to accept the Deputy CM’s post without the Home Department; the BJP leadership convinced him that the portfolio would remain with Fadnavis, who had managed the key portfolio from 2014 to 2019. The latter also made a cryptic statement, that ‘‘the Chief Minister’s post is just a technical agreement between us… We have been together to take decisions and will continue to do so”. Shinde can join the dots at leisure.
Party leaders, including Shiv Sena MLAs and BJP allies, underscored Shinde’s role as being pivotal for political stability and the party’s future. They cautioned that his absence from the cabinet could result in creation of another power center, potentially destabilizing the alliance. Despite lingering doubts, Shinde’s colleagues, including Uday Samant, Sanjay Shirsat, and Shambhuraj Desai, were eagerly awaiting the meeting’s outcome. Voices within the Sena stressed Shinde’s inclusion as essential for Maharashtra’s governance.
During a press conference at Raj Bhavan, Fadnavis expressed optimism. “All Mahayuti MLAs want Shinde to join the cabinet. I met him on Tuesday and tried to convince him,” he stated. Addressing the media alongside Fadnavis, Shinde said, “Two and a half years ago, Fadnavis proposed my name for CM. Now, I have the opportunity to propose his name for CM. As Devendraji mentioned, everything will be clear soon, so please wait.” Shiv Sena leader Uday Samant echoed this sentiment, stating, “All Shiv Sena MPs and MLAs believe Shinde should be sworn in as Deputy CM. While Shinde Saheb is willing to focus on organizational tasks, we hope he accepts our request to join the cabinet for Maharashtra’s benefit.”
With Shinde relenting, the political stalemate appears to have reached a resolution, paving the way for the swearing-in ceremony of the new cabinet on Thursday.
