Ad-vantage who, Shinde or Fadnavis?

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde at Sahyadri guesthouse on May 11. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

The Shinde Sena's inner circle and friends from other parties (read the BJP) are learnt to have had a hand in the advertisement campaign that attempted to create (or widen?) the rift between CM Eknath Shinde and Dy CM Devendra Fadnavis. It didn't look like a knee-jerk reaction to the news that the BJP high command had asked for dropping five Sena ministers and its posturing of a dominant big brother in Thane and Kalyan, so to say, in the entire state. But it looked like a response given with a purpose and the understanding of what would come next from the people concerned - especially the supporters of Fadnavis, whose rivals within the party are on the rise and active these days.

The media planners ensured that the BJP and PM Narendra Modi were not belittled in any way, but a message was sent out that the Shinde faction knew its worth in the present and future politics of the coalition. And, in doing that, they hit a coalition man of the BJP, Fadnavis. They made it look like Shinde versus Fadnavis; projected the CM as the most popular choice and caused heartburn in Camp Fadnavis.

As the damage control advertisement appeared the next day, as was promised by the party spokesperson after a closed-door meeting with Fadnavis, the Shinde supporters and Fadnavis's detractors insisted that, in the first place, the controversial advertisement would not be possible without the blessings from certain highly-placed people in the BJP. That assumption, if true, can change things for Fadnavis, whose political future has been a hot topic of discussion for his non-political well-wishers, supporters in the BJP's rank and file and the legislators. The recent development gave rise to speculations, again, over Fadnavis, until he himself put a lid on the rift talks while sharing a public platform with Shinde in Palghar. Shinde endorsed their Fevicol ka bond with an eulogy to Fadnavis that he topped with the Jai-Veeru\Dharam-Veer analogy. Four days have passed since in peace. The duo was seen together at the sarkari functions and meetings. The leaders took turns to mark their presence at some public functions in Mumbai.

However, joint public appearances and bonding speeches alone cannot be a tool to measure the thickness of their friendship, which will be under scrutiny even more as politics gain momentum in the run-up to the polls the BJP will contest together with the ally. If it will be about the political standing of Shinde and Fadnavis (and other CM contenders in the BJP), it will also be about the Delhi-controlled BJP and Shinde-led Shiv Sena's prospects in Maharashtra, a crucial state for the national party's Lok Sabha strength.

Through the advertising episode, the Shinde faction may have sent out a message that it would not bow down, but didn't offer any clue or clarity about the source of the pressure it had been put under. If it had Delhi's blessings to release the advertisement, why would Shinde's faction accept and rectify the mistake the next day? And, if the Shinde-Fadnavis bonding was so strong and exemplary like Jai-Veeru and Dharam-Veer, why would, in the first place (err... the first page), the media campaign push the fast friend to a perch below?

Show of strength

Shinde's might will be put to the test while celebrating the party's foundation day on Monday, a day after the rival Sena group had organised a very big conclave of workers at a dome in Worli. Uddhav Thackeray and his son Aaditya returned from a vacation abroad with a renewed vigour to address the jam-packed indoor venue. On Monday, the Thackeray faction will also have a parallel foundation day celebration. The two factions had come face to face for the first time during the annual Dussehra rally. Thackeray had chosen a non-glittery rally at Shivaji Park, the venue he had managed after overcoming many obstacles. Out to outdo the rival camp, the Shinde Sena had lived up to expectations at the BKC, making it a grand exhibition of the newly-appointed CM's power. On Monday, the Shinde Sena will organise a function in the western suburbs, while Thackeray will be in an indoor venue in Matunga.

The event will be the first foundation day for Shinde after he broke away from Thackeray whose father had founded the party in 1966. Shinde had left the city with some MLAs a day after the last foundation day a year ago. More MLAs joined him before he was sworn in as the CM on June 30. Since then the factions have not stopped making claims of being the original Sena. Monday will be no different.

Dharmendra Jore is political editor, mid-day. He tweets @dharmendrajore
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