Hours after the ruling Mahayuti lost the polls in the Gokul cooperative milk society, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis moved to ensure that his government retained control of the prestigious institution. As a last resort, he appointed five non-official directors with voting rights in the presidential election. However, the move appears set to trigger a protracted legal battle, particularly in light of the legal opinion given by Justice Bhushan Gavai, former Chief Justice of India.
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Gavai’s opinion concerns the appointment of non-official directors to enable the ruling Mahayuti’s panel to gain control of the board through the presidential election. In the corridors of power, there is already speculation that the newly constituted board may not withstand legal scrutiny – a view reflected in Gavai’s opinion.
Under these circumstances, a defeat in the presidential election would be a major embarrassment for the Chief Minister. Nevertheless, Fadnavis’ attempt to retain control despite the electoral setback reflects his political acumen.
Parth’s party ambitions
For NCP Rajya Sabha member Praful Patel, the biggest challenge will be merging the two factions – one led by NCP founder Sharad Pawar and the other by Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar and her son Parth.
Since the untimely death of Ajit Pawar in a plane crash, Parth has made unsuccessful attempts to gain control of the party, with a group of powerful politicians thwarting his efforts. According to NCP insiders, Parth is seeking complete control, which would give him a decisive say in the distribution of party nominations for the forthcoming civic and zilla parishad polls.
Parth faces a major challenge from Chhagan Bhujbal and more than a dozen senior NCP leaders. These leaders contend that, given their age and seniority, it would be inappropriate to expect them to report to Parth or Jay Pawar.
In fact, more than a dozen senior NCP legislators were preparing to leave the organisation and join either the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena or the BJP led by Fadnavis. However, the plan stalled owing to differences within the group. A fresh plan now appears to be taking shape, and the legislators may pursue another political course if the dispute remains unresolved.
Rohit’s protest pitch strikes chord
NCP leader Rohit Pawar has emerged as a rallying point for agitating students, with his intervention in the row over alleged irregularities in Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) examinations yielding results. Pawar joined the protesters in Pune, followed by several Opposition legislators. The agitation was called off after Fadnavis announced that veteran bureaucrat Vivek Bhimanwar, who heads the commission, would proceed on leave and a seven-member committee would probe the alleged irregularities.
Bhimanwar’s appointment had raised hopes of setting the troubled commission’s house in order. Instead, continuing complaints brought students onto the streets and prompted Fadnavis to intervene.
Maharashtra’s long history of peaceful and violent agitations, particularly in Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur, has thrown up leaders who championed students, farmers and unorganised workers. Pawar’s role in the Pune protest places him in that tradition.
