The 11-month-old Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra has launched a major balancing act as veteran politician Eknath Khadse joined the NCP giving a major blow to BJP, a party he was associated with for 40 years.
As of now, NCP supremo and Sharad Pawar, however, had ruled out any immediate Cabinet reshuffle to accommodate the firebrand leader of North Maharashtra.
Thackeray, too, on his party has refused to speak out on the future political situation. “Whatever I have to say, I would speak during the Dussehra rally,” said Thackeray.
Accommodating 68-year-old Khadse, a former Leader of Opposition is a major challenge for the Trimurti alliance government comprising Shiv Sena, NCP, and Congress which also include smaller parties and Independents.
Over the last two years, there were reports that Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was unhappy. “Why should he be unhappy…there is no reason,” Pawar said, adding that because of Covid-19 one has to take precautions. The junior Pawar is in self-quarantine in his Pune home as he was not keeping well, however, his Covid-19 test report is negative.
Pawar also counted the names of ministers who had tested positive including Housing Minister Jitendra Ahwad. Before Khadse’s induction ceremony, Ahwad and Pawar had a one-on-one meeting triggering speculations that the former may resign from ministry to accommodate the veteran.
(Published 23 October 2020, 13:45 IST)
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