Mumbai: Torn asunder by the intense speculation in political circles over his fate, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is believed to have confided in Union Home Minister Amit Shah, during the latter’s visit to the city on Sunday, according to reliable sources. Shah reportedly assured him about the stability of his government, sources said.
After participating in a public programme to listen to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 100th ‘Mann Ki Baat’ episode at the M L Dahanukar College of Commerce, Vile Parle, CM Shinde and deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis had a closed-door meeting with Shah at the residence of local MLA Parag Alawani, nearby.
Shinde has been restive over the past few weeks because of the speculation on the possibility of a change of leadership in Maharashtra after the SC verdict on the disqualification of MLAs belonging to his camp.
He is reported to have raised the issue at the meeting and was assured that there was no threat to the stability of his government.
The political world awaits SC decision
There has been immense conjecturing on the political situation in the state after the SC verdict, which is expected to be delivered within a week. The possibility of the MLAs from the Shinde group getting disqualified and a group from the NCP, along with senior leader Ajit Pawar, joining hands with the BJP is being discussed. Further, it is being surmised that the BJP is unhappy with Shinde’s performance. Shah’s two visits to the state in as many weeks have only served to further stoke the theory. In this backdrop, the closed-door meeting at Alwani’s residence assumes importance.
Shah was in town on April 15, having long discussions with his party leaders as well as with Shinde and Fadnavis. It is widely believed that issues like the situation after the SC verdict and cabinet expansion etc. were discussed at the meeting. However, Shinde faced a lot of flak for the gross mismanagement of the death of 14 people by heatstroke at the Kharghar rally addressed by Shah. The opposition went ballistic, demanding the resignation of Shinde.
Shinde facing flak alone on both Kharghar tragedy and Barsu issue
The CM was particularly unhappy because he felt alienated through the entire episode, with the BJP maintaining a studied silence. The Kharghar episode was immediately followed by the agitation at Barsu village in Ratnagiri district against the proposed refinery. Once again, Shinde was under attack again and seemed to be fighting alone. He is learnt to have shared his apprehensions over the BJP’s role in both the episodes with the Shah at the meeting.
All said and done, though it is more than eight months since the government has come to power, Shinde doesn’t seem to have gained administrative traction. Though this could be primarily due to the pending cases in the SC, Shinde’s style of working too is being blamed for it.
