Is a sulking Eknath Shinde on the way out as Shiv Sena chief?
Two incidents have led to speculation in Maharashtra politics that all is not well between Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
Reports abound that the situation between them has turned so bad that Shinde left Mumbai and went to his home town in Satara -- in a sulk, say some.
The latest issue of contention was Shinde wanting Sena leaders Bharat Gogawale and Dada Bhuse as guardian ministers of Raigad and Nashik but Fadnavis overruled him.
Instead, Fadnavis appointed Nationalist Congress Party Minister Aditi Tatkare and Bharatiya Janata Party Minister Girish Mahajan as guedian minsters.
This, coming on the back of the growing proximity between Fadnavis and Shinde confidant Industries Minister Uday Samant, who has accompanied the chief minister to the World Economic Forum summit in Davos, has led to tension between the CM and Dy CM, claim the political grapevine.
Opposition leaders claim that Fadnavis is trying to replace Shinde as Shiv Sena leader with Uday Samant.
On Monday, Sanjay Raut, the Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray Rajya Sabha member, stated, 'There is discord in the Mahayuti alliance over guardian ministries. And now Fadnavis is grooming Uday Samant as a possible replacement for Shinde.'
The Mahayuti government won 235 out of 288 seats in the November 20, 2024 assembly elections and Shinde had to step down as chief minister to make way for Fadnavis after the BJP won most of those seats.
The Mahayuti alliance consists of the BJP, Shiv Sena (Shinde) and NCP (Ajit Pawar).
Ministry formation was delayed as Shinde wanted the home department but the BJP refused to budge after which the Shiv Sena leader had to settle for the urban development department.
Shinde also could not ensure that his confidant, Deepak Kesarkar, was made a minister.
Shiv Sena leader Rahul Shewale pooh-poohed the Opposition claims of Shinde being upset.
"He is not sulking in Satara but he is in Mumbai. There was a presentation by the tourism department for which he had gone to Satara. He has come back to Mumbai now," Shewale told this reporter.
Shewale said the dispute over guardian ministries has been resolved.
"There is no problem on guardian ministries now. We have resolved the matter with the BJP. Eknath Shindeji has already spoken to Fadnavisji on this issue."
Asked if the Shiv Sena will get the guardianship of Raigad and Nashik over which they have staked a claim, Shewale said, "Yes, our demands will be met after he (Fadnavis) comes back from the conference (in Davos)."
On reports that Uday Samant was being groomed as the future Shiv Sena leader, Shewale dismissed it as a canard spread by the Opposition parties.
Uday Samant tweeted a video on his X account stating, 'It is childish to claim that I am going to replace Eknath Shinde as Shiv Sena chief.'
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