Eknath Shinde's power play and ‘home’ truths

Eknath Shinde pushes for the home department amid power shifts in Maharashtra, while speculation rises on the new finance minister and leadership changes

It comes as no surprise that caretaker chief minister Eknath Shinde is insisting on the home department as he is bargaining for a better deal with the BJP in lieu of giving up chief ministership. In Shiv Sena circles, Shinde’s love for the home department, which governs the police force, is well known. In fact, in 2019 when it became clear that Uddhav Thackeray would be the chief minister of the MVA government, Shinde was keen on becoming home minister. However, in the power sharing pact, the home portfolio went to the NCP and urban development department came to the Shiv Sena, which Shinde got. After he became CM in June 2022, Shinde was again keen on the same department but had to concede it to BJP after Devendra Fadnavis settled for the deputy chief minister’s post with home portfolio. Now Shinde has again staked claim on the department as he has to concede the chief ministership to the BJP.

Caretaker CM Eknath Shinde (ANI)

The minister who heads the home department is often seen as the second most influential member of the cabinet after the chief minister. Besides, a direct control over the police force proves important while dealing with political rivals. But then, there is a twist to this: If the chief minister wants, he can have an indirect control over the home department as all key decisions need his nod and top police and home officials report to the chief minister on important matters. It was one of the reasons for friction between Shinde and Fadnavis in the Mahayuti government. Several BJP legislators think Shinde knows this and hence he is insisting on the home department. Shinde’s list of demands also include public works department, revenue, industries and Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), which is implementing several major infrastructure projects in the state. The push and pull for the key portfolios is likely to continue till the new government takes over.

*Bureaucrats anxious about next finance minister

Bureaucrats in the finance department are anxiously waiting to find out who the new finance minister will be in the new government. The state’s finances are on a sticky wicket due to ever increasing debt burden and expenditure on populist schemes announced by the Mahayuti government in the run-up to the elections, the cost of which has run up to over ₹90,000 crore. Besides, the new government will be under pressure to implement the promises made by the ruling parties in the elections. In this context, the new finance minister will have to take several tough decisions, said a senior finance official. They are hoping that finance portfolio goes to either Devendra Fadnavis or Ajit Pawar both of whom are known to take tough decisions and can ensure fiscal discipline in the state government.

*Speculations galore

As the decision of the BJP leadership on who could be the next chief minister of Maharashtra got delayed, speculations were rife in political circles. Though Fadnavis emerged as the front-runner, several leaders of Mahayuti were saying in private that the top bosses of the BJP were weighing the pros and cons of replacing a Maratha chief minister (Shinde) with a Brahmin (Fadnavis).

There were also speculations that they may pick an OBC face or a woman, considering that women voters supported the Mahayuti in large numbers. Names that were doing the rounds included state BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule, BJP national general secretary Vinod Tawde and more recently union minister of state for cooperation Murlidhar Mohol. As the drama was on, Mohol met union home minister Amit Shah, leading to speculations that he could emerge as a candidate. Ironically, Mohol is junior minister of cooperation ministry which is headed by Shah and he keeps meeting the latter for ministry work.

*Knives out for Patole

With Congress’ worst ever performance in the state polls since the formation of the state, Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole is under fire from his detractors in the party. It was no secret that there were several complaints over Patole’s style of functioning. He was often accused of not working with all factions together—something that his predecessors Balasaheb Thorat and Ashok Chavan did well. Most of his detractors in the party are from the Vidarbha region. While Patole is now under scanner following the poor poll performance, he may escape immediate action. The fact that most of the rivals within the party have lost in the election has come in handy for him.