For MVA, discussion on Maharashtra CM only after assembly polls
On the other hand, state Congress president Nana Patole’s aides have started putting up hoardings describing him as the future chief minister
The opposition coalition Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has decided to keep the contentious issue of chief ministership off the table for now. Following MVA’s victory in Lok Sabha election in Maharashtra, there has been a competition between the three parties on who could get the chief ministership with more than half a dozen potential CMs in the three parties. Shiv Sena (UBT) even publicly said that Uddhav Thackeray should be declared the chief ministerial candidate. On the other hand, state Congress president Nana Patole’s aides have started putting up hoardings describing him as the future chief minister. In this background, leaders of the three parties have decided that the contentious issue needs to be kept off the table to avoid any bitterness even before their campaign takes off. “It has been decided to concentrate on finalising the seat-sharing and launch the campaign as we will have barely eight weeks in hand before the elections,” said a top MVA leader.
Meanwhile, the Congress is planning to launch its campaign in Mumbai from August 20 in the presence of Rahul Gandhi. It is likely to be a Congress show but the party has also invited allies Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray for the event, which could mark the launch of their campaign.
Shiv Sena (UBT) wants to stick to mashal
The Shiv Sena (UBT) wants to stick to the new symbol flaming torch or mashal in Marathi for the coming assembly election. In a recent meeting of the party leaders, Uddhav Thackeray told them that they should take the mashal symbol to each and every house as they have decided to continue with the same in the assembly elections. A party leader said the top brass is not sure that the Supreme Court will deliver its order on petitions related to disqualification of Eknath Shinde and his MLAs as well as the party’s challenge to Election Commission of India’s order allotting official Shiv Sena name and symbol to Shinde before the assembly elections. The party has also requested the ECI to remove symbols similar to mashal from the list of symbols available for independent candidates, just the way it did in case of NCP (SP). Several Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders also feel that the new symbol has better visual appeal than the bow and arrow.
‘People-friendly’ Ajit Pawar
The effect of newly appointed political strategists can be seen in Ajit Pawar’s persona and it is not limited to the onion-coloured jackets he is donning now-a-days. The deputy chief minister has started speaking more to the media and his public speeches have become more focused and less negative. Soon, he will also be seen reaching out to people in a way he has not done yet. A close aide has advised Ajitdada to be seen as “people-friendly” as he is the face of his party. That was the reason he was seen at Siddhivinayak temple with all his MLAs, performing a pooja before launching his mission. The idea was to reach out to a wider voter base including that of allies BJP and Shiv Sena.
Their enmity continues
The age-old enmity between two heavyweight politicians in Ahmednagar has got renewed now with the Lok Sabha elections. Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil and Balasaheb Thorat are known as sworn rivals. Thorat, a senior Congress leader, played a significant role in the victory of the MVA candidates in Ahmednagar and Shirdi constituencies in the district, especially in Ahmednagar where NCP (SP) candidate Nilesh Lanke defeated sitting MP Sujay Vikhe-Patil which has upset the latter’s father, Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, a senior BJP leader. The father-son duo is determined to defeat Thorat in the assembly election. Now Sujay has announced that he will contest from Sangamner assembly constituency from where Thorat has been elected eight times in a row. Looks like the political drama will continue in the politically volatile district of north Maharashtra.
The last burst of transfers
With barely a month left for the election code of conduct to kick in, transfers in the state administration have become a hot topic in Mantralaya. Several ministers are unhappy as decisions on transfers of senior officers in their departments are mostly being taken at the top level. The joke going around is that several ministers get anxious when they get a call from a very influential personal assistant on the sixth floor.