Maharashtra politics: Will this chemistry change?

CM Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar shake hand as cheerful deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis looks on, at the oath-taking ceremony, at Raj Bhavan on Sunday. Pic/Sameer Markande

Ajit Pawar has made it in his second attempt. Finally, he has left the nest to be on his own, with his flock. The BJP has settled a score with Sharad Pawar for the ‘dhokha' in 2019. A year ago, the single-largest party avenged Uddhav Thackeray's pact with Pawar's NCP and the Congress by installing the Sena rebel Eknath Shinde as the CM. Ajit's entry has created a situation in the government that now stands on three legs, just like the Maha Vikas Aghadi. Of late, Shinde seems to have strained relations with certain quarters in the BJP. Now, Shinde sits with Ajit, who was publicly blamed by the Sena rebels for their unrest in the Thackeray government. Devendra Fadnavis, a reluctant deputy CM of 2022, was in full spirits when Ajit and others took oath on Sunday.

While Shinde remained plain-faced, a sense of achievement showed on Fadnavis's face. After all, a couple of days ago, Fadnavis had promised a googly, more lethal than Sharad Pawar's in 2019. Now, Ajit has to ensure that as many MLAs, at least two-third of the NCP's total strength of 54, join him if he were to follow Shinde, who has claimed the ownership of the Shiv Sena party and its poll symbol through the Election Commission, while keeping in mind that uncle Pawar will not rest efforts to swing the number in his favour. Sources said Ajit has 40 MLAs and six MLCs with him. "Whatever happened today is for the betterment of the state. Ajit dada and I will work under Eknath Shindeji's leadership to give the state a progressive government," said Fadnavis.

Is Ajit a threat to Shinde?

The development came as another shocker after a 12-month break and at a stage when hopefuls in the Sena and the BJP had set their sights on a ministerial berth. On Sunday, no new members of the first two partners were taken in. Instead, nine from the NCP dashed in to share a bulkier pie of power. It will be interesting to see the distribution of important departments, especially a host of them held by Fadnavis for a year. Most of the NCP leaders, now ministers of a tripartite coalition, have had plum portfolios in the past governments.

Ajit, the deputy CM for the fifth time, had virtually controlled the administration and powers to distribute government grants and allocation of the welfare scheme monies that in fact had been a bone of contention in the MVA. There will be two deputy CMs, a first for Maharashtra. Both are demanding and commanding, disciplined and measured. They have an understanding between them that could overshadow the CM, who will definitely have to walk a tightrope. Shinde's only arsenal is his MLAs without whom he would not have formed a government a year ago. The BJP's high-command was reported to have told disgruntled party members that they should remember that they were in power only because of Shinde. The arsenal is expected to become weaker with the induction of the NCP.

However, the longevity of the arrangement of two deputy CMs will also be under the lens, because the BJP insiders have been talking of Fadnavis getting promoted to the Union cabinet. They are not sure when it will be, but believe in the shock treatment that the high command delivers time and again. Another view the BJP insiders hold is that Fadnavis will not go north because he still has the chance of reclaiming the CM's post. A trigger to Fadnavis's elevation could be the disqualification of 16 MLAs, including Shinde, they say.

But a sane politician like Sharad Pawar has refused to buy the argument, saying that he expected the Assembly speaker to delay the case inordinately, till the term of the current house ends next winter. A section in the BJP believes that Shinde cannot be dumped in such a manner, not when the party needed more allies. Shinde has built up a reputation of breaking barriers, be it against his own party or the allies. The BJP tasted it recently. But he also reconciled quickly in the past one year. It would be interesting to see how he holds himself in the wake of the recent turn of events.

‘No disruption'

Welcomed Ajit on Sunday, Shinde, in reference to Sharad Pawar's statements, quipped, "Who has been clean bowled now?" He added, "We are a triple-engine sarkar now. Ajit dada has joined us on the development plank. We have seen (in his rebellion) what happens when an achiever is ignored in the party. The people of Maharashtra will benefit from his experience."

State BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule also welcomed Ajit. Shinde's associate and senior minister Uday Samant denied that the CM was against the NCP's induction. "Shinde and Fadnavis are mature leaders. They mutually took the decision. The CM is taking everyone along in the aim of development of Maharashtra," he said, adding that there would be no disruption or disputes in the government. "It is chemistry here. Each party has been given a comfort level and space. We, in the Sena, follow Shinde's leadership, the BJP and the NCP leaders follow their respective bosses."

For the BJP, Ajit's entry is a shot in the arm ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. Maharashtra sends 48 MPs, the second largest after Uttar Pradesh, to the Lok Sabha, which will have a lot of bearing on the BJP's resolve of winning 300-plus seats. Taking a potshot at Shinde, Aaditya Thackeray said that when the MVA was formed, the Shiv Sena (then led by Uddhav Thackeray) was accused of compromising Hindutva, and "now, what have you done by incorporating the NCP?".

His father Uddhav quipped, "Be happy wherever you have gone (Ajit)." Henceforth, the Sena (UBT) will have to face three major rivals - its splinter: the Shinde group, the BJP and the Ajit-led NCP. One party that has remained untouched, despite repeated attempts to break, so far is the Congress. It might be advantageous to the Congress where it is strong, and the party, in all probability, will be more demanding in the alliance in the state.

‘Wonder why politicians have different names for parties!'

Sunil Joshi, a resident of Borivli
‘My vote was a complete waste. I based my decision on the party's ideology and their basic principles, but they ended up compromising those principles in pursuit of power. There should be a rule barring a person from switching sides for a certain number of years after joining a party to ensure stability'

Bharat Danaani, a transporter from Mulund
‘While the work that people expect has not been done, horse-trading is happening across India. We, the people, have become handicapped. The value of our vote has become zero. These politicians are playing for their own benefit and have no intention to work for the people. Our democracy is not being upheld. We need a strong Opposition in the state'

Mayank Gandhi, AAP founder and Vile Parle resident
‘Over the past 3 years, since I have voted, the face of politics has transformed. First, a betrayal by the Shiv Sena, which formed a government with someone else, and then there was infighting within that government, leading to a split. Sharad Pawar had also stabbed [his mentor in the back] for power, and today, the same thing has happened to him'

Rasmin Joshi, businessperson, Dahisar
‘Seeing all this, I wonder why these leaders even have different names for their parties. After all, they are all after power. If everyone worked together for the development of Maharashtra, then the name of the ruling party would be ‘Maharashtra Unity Party'. If the current situation prevails, our vote and opinion won't hold any meaning any more'

- Bakulesh Trivedi and Umesh Deshpande