Mahayuti scrambles to woo malcontent MLAs with sops before Maharashtra polls
Ruling parties are rushing to appease MLAs unhappy with their loyalty, with last-minute meetings and funds allocation before October assembly polls
MUMBAI: The three ruling parties and their leaders have embarked on some last-minute expediency before the assembly polls slated to be held in October. The parties are busy clearing proposals and funds in constituencies held by their MLAs, with special care being taken of MLAs who are either disgruntled or in two minds about their continuing loyalty to their parties.
Chief minister Eknath Shinde on Thursday held a meeting to discuss issues of the Airoli assembly constituency held by BJP MLA Ganesh Naik. Naik is reportedly unhappy for being sidelined by the ruling alliance and had expressed his unhappiness during the Lok Sabha elections. The meeting is believed to be an attempt to woo him before the assembly polls. The CM has held at least six such meetings over the last few weeks for constituencies held by his MLAs Sanjay Gaikwad, Mangesh Kudalkar and Suhas Kande among others.
Shinde’s deputy and senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis also held six meetings to discuss constituencies of his party MLAs from various parts of the state including Chikhali, Tulajapur and Shevgaon. “Fadnavis discussed various projects in the MLAs’ constituencies,” said a BJP leader. “Most of the MLAs with whom he held meetings had trailed in the Lok Sabha elections. They were told to pull up their socks for the assembly polls. Special attention is being paid to these constituencies.”
A day before the meetings, the state cabinet gave the nod to a ₹2-crore proposal in MLA Atul Benke’s constituency Junnar in Pune district. The proposal was submitted by the Kudakeshware Adiwasi Hirda Audyogik Utpadak Sanstha, which processes hirda, a medicinal plant. The project was approved in just two weeks after Benke met NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, leading to speculation about the MLA going back to his parent party. The cabinet also approved funds of ₹487 crore for an ayurvedic college in Kagal, Kolhapur, the constituency of another NCP-Ajit Pawar MLA and minister Hasan Mushrif.
According to Mantralaya officials, the three parties and their leaders in the government are more concerned about MLAs who are unsure of their loyalty or are on a sticky wicket. “MLAs like Benke, Naik and Kudalkar are in two minds about whether to continue in their existing parties,” said an officer. “Their party chiefs are attempting to pacify them by ensuring projects and funding for their constituencies. Some of these constituencies are ones that are unlikely to be won by the ruling alliance.” The officer added that more such meetings by the CM and his two deputies are scheduled to be held in the next four weeks.
Based on the Lok Sabha election results, the three parties have changed their strategy to minimise their potential losses in the assembly polls. The government last week gave a loan guarantee of ₹1,600 crore to 11 sugar mills under the control of ruling party MLAs or leaders. Wai MLA (NCP-Ajit Pawar) Makarand Patil bagged a loan of ₹467 crore for two factories under him as a reciprocation of his help to Udayanraje Bhosale, the BJP candidate from Satara. Wai gave over 1.25 lakh votes to Bhosale, who won by 37,000 votes.
Patil was inclined towards the NCP (SP) faction, but the assurance of a loan compelled him to change his mind. His brother, Nitin Patil, is expected to be the Rajya Sabha candidate in the elections to be held on September 3.
The state government also withdrew earlier proposals of loan guarantees given before the Lok Sabha polls. It had approved a loan guarantee of ₹650 crore to 13 mills. After the polls, the proposal for sugar factories under Vivek Kolhe and Sangram Thopate were withdrawn, as they worked against the BJP’s Ahmednagar and NCP-Ajit Pawar’s Baramati candidates.