Eknath Shinde, Ajit Pawar lock horns over clearing files, causing logjam

Over a dozen files moved by ministers from both sides – NCP and Shiv Sena – for budgetary allocation ministers are gathering dust at the finance department

Mumbai: The power tussle within the ruling Mahayuti coalition has reached a new low, with chief minister Eknath Shinde and deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar sitting on files moved by each other for weeks. Shinde and Pawar, in fact, had a verbal exchange over the matter earlier this week. While Pawar said he would not clear files sent by the urban development department, headed by Shinde, without careful assessment, the chief minister shot back saying even he would review all files of the finance department, headed by Pawar, carefully.

Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde, along with Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar. (ANI)

According to well-placed sources in the secretariat, over a dozen files moved by ministers from the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) are awaiting clearance from the chief minister’s office (CMO), while a similar number of files for budgetary allocation moved by Shiv Sena ministers are gathering dust at the finance department.

“The file for additional funding and centres for the Shiv Bhojan Thali scheme has been pending with the CMO for weeks. A few proposals of the cooperation department are also waiting for weeks for the chief minister’s approval,” said a senior NCP leader. Proposals moved by NCP ministers’ departments also take longer to be brought before the state cabinet for approval, he added.

NCP leader Dhananjay Munde became an unlikely victim of the tussle earlier this week when Shinde shot down during a cabinet meeting his ₹1,400-crore proposal to distribute nano urea and nono-DAP fertilizers among farmers. The proposal had not been cleared by the finance department headed by Pawar as funds had already been allocated for the Namo Kisan Sanman Nidhi Yojana, a central government scheme. When Munde raised the matter with Shinde, he was told to get an approval from the finance minister first.

Similarly, Pawar has been accused of holding back files related to the urban development department headed by Shinde. For instance, a ₹11,000-crore proposal by MMRDA for infrastructure projects in Thane was held back by the finance department citing lack of approvals. Another file related to conversion of the Sheel Phata–Bhiwandi ring route Metro was not routed through ‘proper channels’, leading to differences between Shinde and Pawar, said an official.

The movement of files has caused friction within the Mahayuti government in the past as well. In July last year, differences cropped up between Pawar and deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, who was upset over some important files being cleared by Shinde and Pawar. The government had then issued a circular making it mandatory to route all files to the chief minister only after they were cleared by Fadnavis.

Pawar, however, denied reports of differences within the ruling coalition, saying, “There are no differences or infighting within the ruling alliance or the leaders. In fact, we – the chiefs of the three parties – shared the dais at a function in Jalgaon recently. The opposition is trying to create unnecessary buzz and confusion among people.”

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut took a dig at the state government over the issues, saying, “Not only differences, there is a gangwar going on between the three ruling parties. Three gangs are running the government and each one of them is safeguarding their own interests.”