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Shinde avoids political comments, says next cabinet expansion soon
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde spent his day remembering his mentors and refrained from taking a dig at his rivals. However, he appeared worried after his camp was isolated by the inclusion of Ajit Pawar and his MLAs in the government. There are reports that his MLAs are upset over their non-inclusion in the cabinet. Opposition parties took potshots at Shinde, saying that his importance has been reduced.
Chief minister Eknath Shinde spent his day in remembrance of his mentor Anand Dighe and Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray and refrained from taking a dig either at his former boss cum rival Uddhav Thackeray or any other opposition members.
However, Shinde was not in his element and appeared a bit worried, a day after his camp was isolated by the inclusion of Ajit Pawar and his eight MLAs from the NCP as ministers in the Shiv Sena-BJP government. But to a question if the aspirants for ministerial berths in his camp were unhappy, a confident Shinde told the media that the next state cabinet expansion would be held in a few days.
For Shinde, Monday began with a meeting with his seven ministers at Thane. Thereafter, he celebrated guru poornima at Dighe’s house at Tembhi Naka followed by a visit to the Thackeray memorial in Dadar. He also paid homage to Balasaheb at his party headquarters, Balasaheb Bhavan, at Nariman Point.
Later, at a press conference, Shinde parried questions that the importance of Shiv Sena had been reduced.
But the addition of nine ministers from the NCP and further support from its MLAs is likely to take a toll on the working chemistry between Shiv Sena and the BJP in general and on the importance of Shinde and his faction in particular.
Then there are reports that the MLAs supporting Shinde are upset over their non-inclusion in the state cabinet. A glaring example is that of party chief whip Bharat Gogavale, guardian minister of Raigad district. But now Aditi Tatkare of the NCP has been sworn in as a minister. Aditi is daughter of Gogavale’s local rival and NCP MP Sunil Tatkare who was also appointed as state president of Ajit Pawar faction on Monday.
When a reporter asked Shinde about the unhappiness among his MLAs, he reacted in an irked tone: “Have the MLAs confided in you that they are upset? We will have another expansion in a week for our men.”
Shinde has also called a meeting of his MLAs on Tuesday.
The opposition took potshots at Shinde over the latest political developments.
Former CM Prithviraj Chavan said, “The BJP has taken a call that it is risky to go for Lok Sabha elections with Shinde as head of Maharashtra. They will ensure that he and his men will be disqualified by the speaker.”
NCP chief spokesperson Mahesh Tapase said it was quite evident at the swearing-in ceremony that Shinde was upset. “Their MLAs were enticed to defect on the promise of ministerial berths. Now this seems difficult. The importance of Shiv Sena has been reduced. Many of his MLAs will now go back to Uddhavji.”
Shiv Sena (UBT) deputy leader Sachin Ahir said the BJP’s image had suffered a dent because of the Shiv Sena MLAs’ behaviour. “By getting the NCP on board, the BJP has shown that Shiv Sena MLAs are not indispensable.’’
The biggest loser in the whole deal is Shiv Sena, said Sachin Sawant, state Congress spokesperson. “The CM’s body language showed that he was not happy, and it was evident when he was greeting Ajit Pawar.”
Reacting to the allegations, Shiv Sena spokesperson Krishna Hegde said, “I don’t think the importance of the party, or the CM has been reduced. Shinde is the CM of Maharashtra, and the triple engine (BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP) will work for the people. The government is stronger now.”
A senior bureaucrat, who refused to be named, said they had been fed up with the way Shiv Sena MLAs had been behaving with them for the last one year.
“They dictate terms to us. When we refused to oblige, they would call us through the CM’s office. With the NCP joining, this government will become stronger, and this will also check the autocratic behaviour by some MLAs,” the official said.
