Maharashtra Politics: Tensions Flare In MahaYuti As Shiv Sena Ministers Await CMO Approval For Private Secretary Appointments

Even after completing six months in power, the internal discord between alliance partners BJP and Shiv Sena in Maharashtra’s MahaYuti government shows no signs of settling. Fresh tensions have emerged over the pending appointments of private secretaries to Shiv Sena ministers, reportedly due to delays and objections from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO).

According to sources, several cabinet ministers from Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena faction including Sanjay Rathod, Uday Samant, Shambhuraj Desai, Bharat Gogawale, and Gulabrao Patil have submitted names for their preferred private secretaries. However, the files are still pending approval at the CMO, which has not given the green signal.

It is learnt that Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has taken a firm stand on the matter. Some ministers were reportedly adamant about appointing specific individuals as their private secretaries, but the CMO rejected those names and directed the ministers to submit fresh proposals.

The delay has further strained relations within the alliance. Previous friction between the BJP and Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) had already surfaced over issues such as alleged interference in departments handled by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and unequal allocation of development funds.

With no resolution yet on the private secretary appointments, key cabinet ministers from Shiv Sena continue to operate without their personal aides. In light of the stalemate, Fadnavis is said to have instructed ministers who have not yet received approval for their secretaries to submit alternative names.

This ongoing delay highlights the undercurrents of mistrust and the lack of coordination within the MahaYuti alliance, despite being in power for over half a year.