Post-election skirmishes: Why there are rumblings in Shiv Sena, NCP, BJP

Candidates in Maharashtra unwind after polls, discontent stirs among parties. Promises made pre-elections now remind leaders of unkept commitments

With voting for all 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra over, candidates are catching their breath and taking it easy before counting day on June 4 and its aftermath. However, there are rumblings of discontent, with some candidates and parties not pleased about certain things that transpired during the elections.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde (Photo by Raju Shinde/HT Photo)

The most vocal are two senior colleagues of chief minister Eknath Shinde.

The incumbent Mumbai North West MP Gajanan Kirtikar publicly said that the opposition Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) leaders did a better job in candidate selection, adding that his son and Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Amol could win the constituency. Irked leaders from the Shinde faction of the Shiv Sena asked the chief minister to take action against Kirtikar. Another senior Shiv Sena leader and former Amravati MP, Anandrao Adsul, however, jumped to the defence of Kirtikar, saying that the atmosphere is in MVA’s favour.

In the run-up to the elections, Shinde had made several promises to several colleagues. One by one, they are now trying to remind him that they are waiting for those promises to be fulfilled. This includes Kirtikar and Adsul, who were apparently promised a governor’s post. Another senior leader, Ramdas Kadam, too wanted a reward for throwing his weight behind Shinde in his battle with Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray. Kadam reportedly wants a gubernatorial post or a Rajya Sabha berth, along with a ministerial berth for his legislator son.

It’s not just the Shinde Sena witnessing post-election skirmishes. Shiv Sena (UBT) has objected to Congress rebel candidate Vishal Patil attending a party meeting in Sangli. After Sena (UBT) fielded a candidate in Sangli, a Congress stronghold, Patil contested as an independent and may have queered the pitch for Thackeray’s nominee there. Sena (UBT) has also pointed out that Congress has not expelled Patil from the party yet.

In BJP, union minister Kapil Patil publicly indicated that party legislator Kisan Kathore did not cooperate with him in his Bhiwandi Lok Sabha constituency during the elections. In the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), senior leader Chhagan Bhujbal is making his unhappiness known for not getting an opportunity to contest the Nashik constituency.

Noises of dissent could grow louder in either of the coalitions after June 4, depending on which side wins most of the 48 Lok Sabha seats.

Drought meeting

With the drought-like situation in Maharashtra, especially in the Marathwada region, getting serious, Shinde held a review meeting in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar on Thursday. However, guardian ministers of five out of eight districts in the region did not attend the meeting.

The role of a guardian minister is important when it comes to handling natural calamities in their district. In fact, that is one of the reasons why guardian ministers are given charge of one district each.

According to reports, minsters Dhananjay Munde (Beed), Sandipan Bhumre (Sambhajinagar), Atul Save (Jalna), Abdul Sattar (Hingoli), Sanjay Bansode (Parbhani) did not attend the meeting called by Shinde. While Sharad Pawar has criticised them, deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis remarked that the issue should not be politicised.

Sonia Doohan to quit NCP (SP)?

Sonia Doohan, who came to the limelight when she managed to bring back four NCP MLAs to the Sharad Pawar camp from a Delhi hotel following Ajit Pawar’s unsuccessful coup in 2019, could quit the NCP (SP).

Doohan, who hails from Haryana, was heading the youth women’s wing of the NCP and, later, NCP (SP). Doohan, who apparently had differences with a top NCP (SP) leader, is not seen in party activities. She has also removed all mentions of the party from her X bio. Another party leader from outside Maharashtra, Dheeraj Sharma, who was the national head of the youth wing, has also quit the party. He is likely to join the Ajit Pawar-led NCP. Doohan, however, has maintained silence so far.

Thackerays’ London trip taunted

After gruelling months of campaigning and electioneering, several politicians are taking a break before the results are announced on June 4. The Thackeray family headed to London for a vacation, after which Shinde taunted them, saying he was busy with work and hence wouldn’t be able to go for a holiday.

The BJP’s Ashish Shelar also taunted Thackeray asking if he has gone to study stormwater drain cleaning in London. Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Sunil Raut hit back, saying that Shinde won’t be able to go anywhere since he has to guard the MLAs he’s afraid of losing.

Land purchases by government officers

Large-scale purchase of land by government officers in the picturesque Koyna valley in Satara district has become a talking point in Mantralaya corridors. According to a report in Marathi daily Loksatta, 640 acres of land were purchased by 13 persons, most of whom were government officers. This was in Kandati valley along the Sahyadri tiger reserve, known for its dense forest cover. Local activists have alleged many villagers were misled that their land would be acquired by the government and thus made to sell it for a paltry sum. A probe has now been ordered.