German statesman Otto von Bismarck’s famous quote, “Politics is the art of the possible,” appears to have acquired a new variation in Maharashtra: politics is the art of turning the impossible into possible. Recent political developments in the state bear testimony to this.
Mungantiwar’s public outburst sparks political debate
Senior BJP leader and former minister Sudhir Mungantiwar’s public outburst over his party’s failure to secure maximum wins in his hometown, Chandrapur, during the municipal council elections has become a major talking point in political circles. At the same time, the slow but steady rise of Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar from the same district cannot be ignored.
Results of the recently concluded municipal polls reveal that while the BJP emerged as a big winner across Maharashtra, it suffered a major setback in Chandrapur district. Of the 11 municipal councils in the district, the BJP managed to win just two, while the Congress secured victory in eight.
The outcome visibly angered Mungantiwar, who has won the state Assembly election seven times and served as a minister for nearly eight years. He was dropped from the state cabinet when the Mahayuti returned to power with a massive majority last year.
Remarks hint at frustration over denied cabinet berth
Reacting sharply to the dismal performance, the former finance minister remarked that while the Congress strengthened its leader Vijay Wadettiwar, his own party, the BJP, weakened him. The reaction came as a bolt from the blue, though it is widely believed that Mungantiwar has been deeply upset since being denied a cabinet berth.
He further stated that the doors of the BJP are always open for new entrants—an apparent expression of his reservations about leaders who have joined the party in recent years. Mungantiwar did not stop there, adding that the party had denied cabinet berths to leaders from Chandrapur, Gadchiroli, Bhandara, and Gondia districts. “Not just me, but no one from these districts was inducted into the cabinet,” he said.
Unsurprisingly, the comments drew responses from Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule. Bawankule said it was inappropriate to link electoral defeat with not being made a minister, and stressed the need for introspection over the party’s performance in Chandrapur district.
Chief Minister Fadnavis, meanwhile, said the party would compensate for the setback in the upcoming Chandrapur Municipal Corporation elections (scheduled for January 15). He reiterated that the party’s doors must always remain open and that leaders with strong backgrounds should be inducted in the interest of the party. On this, Mungantiwar has said no position is permanent, not that of a minister or a chief minister.
Wadettiwar’s stature rises amid Congress gains
On the other hand, Vijay Wadettiwar, the Congress Legislature Party leader in the state Assembly, represents Brahmapuri in Chandrapur district. With the Congress securing eight municipal councils, his standing within the party is set to strengthen further. Another significant factor that cannot be ignored is his appointment as chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC)—the most important legislative panel—which carries the status and protocol of a Minister of State.
Traditionally, the PAC chairmanship is allotted to the single largest party in the Opposition, and this time it went to Wadettiwar, bypassing the Shiv Sena (UBT).
Political grapevine is abuzz with speculation over whether Wadettiwar is being strategically promoted to weaken Mungantiwar’s influence in his home district and simultaneously serve as a counterweight to the Shiv Sena (UBT) in legislative affairs. Interestingly, Wadettiwar’s name had also emerged as a potential candidate for the post of Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly, at a time when the Shiv Sena (UBT) is keen to secure the position for its leader Bhaskar Jadhav.
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