Sena Netas Gunning Hard For Eknath Shinde As Maharashtra CM?
Sena Netas, along with Eknath Shinde, are reportedly pressing his claim for the Chief Minister’s post in Maharashtra, leveraging a newly strengthened political position within the ruling coalition, a source says. After securing the support of 13 Members of Parliament, comprising 7 MPs from his own faction and 6 MPs who recently crossed over from the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) faction, Shinde’s team is actively pushing the BJP central leadership for greater autonomy in running the state government, a source says. As part of this proposed arrangement, Shinde’s camp is urging the party high command to shift the current Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis, to the Union Cabinet as a central minister, a source says.
The ongoing tussle has reached a critical stage, prompting frequent interventions from top central leadership, a source says. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has visited Mumbai nearly five times in recent weeks to manage the growing friction, a source says. During his latest visit, the Home Minister held a closed door meeting with Shinde lasting nearly an hour, after which both leaders travelled together to attend a public event, a source says.
Political observers note that the extended travel time likely provided further opportunity to negotiate a resolution behind closed doors. While official statements maintain that these high level discussions are focused on sensitive state issues such as the ongoing Maratha reservation demands, observers find it improbable that major political decisions are being weighed without the active involvement of the state's sitting Chief Minister, a source says. With his party emerging as the second largest coalition ally after the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Shinde feels his increased parliamentary leverage entitles him to a decisive, unhindered role in state governance, a source says.
