Vibha Sharma
New Delhi, October 25
Are BJP and Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis preparing to topple Chief Minister Eknath Shinde?
Saamana—the mouthpiece of the Shiv Sena faction led by Uddhav Thackeray—certainly believes so.
According to the assumption floated by the Sena publication ahead of the high-stake BMC elections—the first electoral test for the two warring factions— Shinde is a “temporary arrangement” and the 22 of Sena MLAs who jumped ship to bring down Uddhav Thackeray led MVA government are ready to dump Shinde and join BJP
“Now everyone has understood that his chief ministerial uniform will be taken off anytime. The Shinde faction’s claim of success in the gram panchayat and sarpanch elections is false. At least 22 MLAs of the Shinde group are upset. The majority of these MLAs will merge themselves with the BJP,” Saamana was quoted as saying while accusing Shinde of causing “great damage” to himself and Maharashtra “for which the people of the state will never forgive him”.
“The BJP will continue to use Shinde for their benefit,” it stated, quoting a BJP leader who claimed “all decisions are taken by Fadnavis while Shinde just announces them”.
It also cited the BJP’s decision to withdraw its candidate from Andheri (East) to buttress the claim that Shinde can lose his job anytime.
In a rare political move, the BJP recently withdrew its candidate Murji Patel from the Andheri (East) by-poll, paving way for Uddhav Thackeray-led Rutuja Latke (wife of late Shiv Sena leader Ramesh Latke) to win unopposed.
While the Maharashtra BJP attributed the decision to the state’s political culture whereby parties refrain from fielding a candidate if a relative of an MLA or MP who has passed away contests the by-poll, the Uddhav side claimed the BJP would have been be “so badly trounced” that the candidate would have “lost deposit”. Interestingly, Rutuja was able to file nomination only after a court’s intervention.
Andheri (East) would certainly have tested the electoral strength of the two sides for the first time since the collapse of the Uddhav Thackeray government, an onus which now shifts on the BMC elections.
According to experts, recent events like the tussle over the Shivaji Park venue for Dussehra rally, BJP’s Dahi Handi celebrations, the high drama over Andheri (East) candidate, the Saamana’s claim, Shinde and Fadnavis warming towards Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), point towards the importance of the BMC polls for all players.
It will be the first test of the government headed by Shinde and Fadnavis, who last week triggered fresh speculations about a possible political realignment when they participated in a Diwali event organised by MNS. Meanwhile, former Maharashtra minister Sanjay Deshmukh also rejoined the Uddhav side along with another Thane leader.
