Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde on July 6 dismissed reports of discontentment within his faction over the alignment of the Nationalist Congress Party’s (NCP) Ajit Pawar and his MLAs with the ruling dispensation.
He also refuted claims that his chief ministerial position was in jeopardy, labelling them as “rumours spread by the Opposition”. “No leader in our faction is unhappy and all have faith,” he said.
On Sunday, the 63-year-old Mr. Ajit Pawar led a vertical split in the NCP founded by his uncle and party supremo Sharad Pawar to become Deputy Chief Minister in the Shiv Sena-BJP government. His eight MLAs, including Chhagan Bhujbal and Dilip Walse-Patil, were sworn in as Ministers in the Eknath Shinde Cabinet.
Sources in both factions told The Hindu that 32 out of the NCP’s 53 MLAs were supporting Mr. Ajit Pawar, while 18 legislators support his uncle.
Also read: Unrest among Shinde-led Sena as NCP expected to receive key portfolios
“I have no plans to step down. Yesterday, I held a meeting with our MPs, MLAs and MLCs, and now our government has become stronger with more than 200 MLAs,” Mr. Shinde said as speculations are rife in political circles that his chief ministerial chair may be in jeopardy after Mr. Ajit Pawar joined his government.
On Wednesday, Mr. Ajit Pawar admitted that he aspired to be Chief Minister one day and implement his own plans for people’s welfare. “I became Deputy CM five times, which itself is a record. Even I want to become Chief Minister and head the State,” he told his supporters.
This remark had made the Shinde faction of the Shiv Sena more nervous as it awaits the Assembly Speaker’s ruling on the disqualification petition against its 16 MLAs, including the Chief Minister.
Further, Mr. Shinde said that Mr. Ajit Pawar expressed confidence in Prime Minister Narendra Modi and they had the “huge support” of both Mr. Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Speaking to The Hindu , some leaders of Mr. Shinde’s Sena expressed belief that the recent development would lead to the “return” of some steadfast Sena leaders to the former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s camp, and moreover, their chances of securing crucial portfolios were limited. They said that they had expressed displeasure with Mr. Shinde, stating that the NCP was the reason why they had revolted against Mr. Thackery and moved with the current Chief Minister.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Vinayak Raut claimed that some MLAs from the rival faction were in touch with his party after Mr. Ajit Pawar’s inclusion. “Shinde faction MLAs have started revolting after the rebel NCP MLAs were made Ministers. Some of the MLAs want to ‘seek forgiveness from ‘Matoshree’ (Mr. Thackeray’s private residence in Bandra),” he said.
