Shinde gives govt function in Pune a miss, cold war buzz intensifies

Ajit Pawar says CM did not attend event due to ill health, and clarifies there is no disagreement between them

Mumbai: Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s absence at the inauguration of the Chandani Chowk bridge in Pune has led to speculation about his unhappiness with the current situation in the government. Shinde is on a four-day leave to his native place in Dare village in Satara—the fourth such visit during his 13 months as chief minister.

According to officials from the CMO, over-exertion on his part—he reportedly works for 18 hours a day—has taken a toll on his health. “Even last month, he had to cancel a couple of programmes in Mumbai due to ill-health,” said an official. Shinde has been attending a few local functions, though his aides said he has been advised to rest for three days. (HT PHOTO)

The Pune function was attended by Shinde’s deputies Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, union surface transport minister Nitin Gadkari and other ministers. There is talk of a cold war between Shinde and Pawar, especially after the latter on Thursday held a review meeting of key infrastructure projects that are already being monitored by Shinde.

The government claimed that Shinde did not attend the function because he was unwell. According to officials from the CMO, over-exertion on his part—he reportedly works for 18 hours a day—has taken a toll on his health. “Even last month, he had to cancel a couple of programmes in Mumbai due to ill-health,” said an official. Shinde has been attending a few local functions, though his aides said he has been advised to rest for three days.

On three earlier occasions too, Shinde had taken off to his native place, every break preceded by a critical political event. One of these was on April 25, ahead of the final ruling of the Supreme Court on the split in the Sena. When his sudden break sparked speculation, his office issued a clarification that he was not on leave and insisted that he had cleared 65 files during his stay in the village.

On June 21, Shinde again retreated to Dare for three days. This came against the backdrop of the bitterness between him and Fadnavis after ads issued by the Shiv Sena projected Shinde as a more popular choice for CM than Fadnavis. Shinde had even summoned four officials with files to Mahabaleshwar in a special helicopter from Mumbai. In August last year, he had visited Dare for the first time after becoming the CM. He was in the village for two days and performed a puja there.

On his Thursday visit, the CM’s helicopter was diverted back to Mumbai due to inclement weather just ten minutes before he was about to land in Mahabaleshwar. He then headed to his native place by road. “He had not been keeping well since Wednesday, which was evident when he attended the August Kranti Din programme and the launch of the Mera Mati Mera Desh campaign,” said another official from the CMO, who added that Shinde would be back on Monday evening to attend the Independence Day event at Mantralaya on Tuesday.

In Pune, Ajit Pawar declared that Shinde did not attend the event due to ill health. “There is no need to read more into this,” he said. “The media has been reporting on the differences between us, and how I and Fadnavis ji are eyeing his chair. Are we fools to do so? There is just one chair and it is occupied. How can we vie for it? Some people also talked about the so-called cold war between me and Shinde saheb. There is nothing like that. What is wrong if I take a review of projects?”

Leader of the opposition in the assembly Vijay Wadettiwar had earlier said that there was a race for the top post. “The review of the war room project by Ajit Pawar is an indicator of the cold war between him and the CM,” he said.

Pawar’s induction in the state cabinet on July 2 had disturbed Shinde and his camp, as their share of the power pie was reduced to accommodate Pawar’s ministers. Many aspirant legislators from Shinde’s camp have not been able to digest this decision of the BJP. Soon after the swearing in of the NCP leaders as ministers, party workers had started putting up posters and using social media projecting Pawar as the future chief minister. Shinde was miffed, and the BJP had to intervene to clarify that there would be no change in leadership.

“Shinde will continue to be chief minister, and this was conveyed to Ajit Pawar before he joined the government. I am clarifying this as the leader of the largest party in the ruling alliance,” Fadnavis had said in the last week of July. Fadnavis’ statement was believed to have been issued on the directions of the BJP’s central leadership.