Fadnavis-Shinde 'discord' has hit Maharashtra's progress, claims Sanjay Raut

Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday claimed the "strained relation" between Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde was hindering the state's progress.

In his weekly column Rokhthok in the Shiv Sena (UBT) mouthpiece 'Saamna', Raut further claimed Shinde was yet to come to terms with the fact that he was not reinstated as chief minister after the November 2024 assembly polls and was desperately trying to regain the position, which Fadnavis fully understands.

In the last year's assembly elections, the Mahayuti, comprising the BJP, Shinde's Shiv Sena and the NCP led by Ajit Pawar, won 230 of the 288 seats in the state.

"Our Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and the BJP-backed Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde have almost no real communication anymore, which has turned into a source of entertainment for the public," the Rajya Sabha member charged.

Raut claimed this ongoing "discord" has affected the Maharashtra government's functioning.

"Despite having a majority, the administration remains paralysed. Those who rise through treachery often fall by it. The attacks on Shinde have begun, and Maharashtra has been left in a state of uncertainty and disorder," he said.

Raut also claimed that Shinde's control over his political turf Thane was being systematically undermined by the BJP.

The appointment of BJP minister Ganesh Naik as the guardian minister of neighbouring Palghar district is reportedly part of this strategy, he charged.

"Naik was already a minister in the first Shiv Sena-BJP government when Shinde was just a municipal councillor. He will not take orders from Shinde," Raut wrote in his column.

Notably, Naik last week said he wants the saffron party to flourish in Thane, indicating there could be a tussle between the two allies.

Naik had also said he would be holding public grievance meetings in Thane too, triggering speculation that the BJP was preparing to challenge the dominance of Shinde's party in the area.

According to Raut, Shinde's role in the government has diminished significantly. He is often absent from crucial cabinet meetings, and when he does attend, he is noticeably late.

"On January 30, he arrived two-and-a-half-hours late for a District Planning Committee meeting at the World Trade Centre," he claimed.

Raut alleged that Shinde feels betrayed by the BJP leadership.

Quoting a senior MLA from the Shiv Sena, Raut claimed Union Home Minister Amit Shah had assured Shinde that the 2024 assembly elections would be fought under his leadership and that he would continue as CM.

Encouraged by the promise, Shinde is believed to have spent enormous amounts of money during the campaign. However, when the time came, Shah allegedly did not keep his word, leading Shinde to feel deceived and politically cornered, Raut claimed quoting the legislator.

Raut said the MLA also told him that Shinde now suspects his phone calls are being monitored and that central agencies are tracking his movements.

"An MLA told me that Shinde is convinced that surveillance is being conducted on him and his associates," the Sena (UBT) leader claimed.

A senior BJP minister recently dismissed the reports of tensions, stating there were no "major differences" between Fadnavis and Shinde.

However, Raut countered that argument, pointing out that similar claims were made before the Shiv Sena split (in June 2022). "What happened after that is something the entire country witnessed," he said.

Raut further claimed that many MLAs in Shinde's faction were now "uneasy", with some contemplating switching over to the BJP under Fadnavis' leadership, while others wanting a return to the Thackeray-led Sena (UBT). But the fear of central agencies has left them hesitant to act, he added.

"Shinde's leadership is no longer secure," Raut further claimed, alleging that even the BJP was working against him.

The RSS has deployed its own people as personal assistants to ministers from both the Shinde and Ajit Pawar (NCP) camps to monitor their activities and curb corruption, he charged.

Unlike Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar is in a much more stable position, Raut said.

"Ajit Pawar understands his limitations and has built a stronger working relationship with Fadnavis," he said.

Pawar joined hands with the BJP to avoid action by the Enforcement Directorate (in some cases), to recover attached assets of Rs 1,000 crore and gain the deputy CM's post as an additional benefit, Raut claimed.

Unlike Shinde, Pawar has no aspirations of becoming chief minister and is content with a "politically safer" position, he added.