Eknath Shinde Confronts the Challenge of Adapting to the Role of Deputy CM After Establishing Himself as the Common Man's Leader

Mumbai, Dec 5 (NationPress) Rising from humble beginnings as a rickshaw driver, Eknath Shinde has made a notable impact in Maharashtra's political arena.

Feeling disheartened after missing the Chief Minister’s role in the Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government, Shinde took a decisive step to rebel, leaving Shiv Sena to align with the BJP-led MahaYuti coalition.

His bold move paid off as he secured the Chief Minister's position in the MahaYuti government in June 2022.

Starting off slowly, he gradually tightened his control over Shiv Sena and the administration. He takes pride in his new identity as Ladka Bhau (beloved brother), particularly following the successful rollout of the Ladki Bahin Yojana.

Shinde expresses satisfaction in being regarded as the common man’s chief minister after leading the MahaYuti government for two and a half years.

Under his leadership, the MahaYuti alliance achieved a remarkable victory in the recent Assembly elections. Initially hesitant to join the cabinet led by Devendra Fadnavis as Deputy Chief Minister, he ultimately complied with the requests from Fadnavis and party workers.

Now, he faces a daunting task of adjusting to his new role as Deputy Chief Minister, where he must concentrate on fulfilling his governmental responsibilities under Fadnavis's leadership while also working to fortify the party organization in anticipation of upcoming civic and local body elections, seen as preliminary assembly elections.

After successfully winning 7 out of 15 contested Lok Sabha seats, Shinde is credited with Shiv Sena’s achievement of winning 57 seats after contesting 85 in the state Assembly elections. He asserts that the Shiv Sena under his guidance is the real Shiv Sena, contrasting it with Uddhav Thackeray's leadership.

Shinde must navigate the complexities of the transformed political landscape. He must exercise caution to ensure that Shiv Sena's growth is not eclipsed by the BJP.

Uddhav Thackeray's faction has already criticized him for yielding to the BJP by accepting the Deputy Chief Minister’s position, claiming he has betrayed Balasaheb Thackeray's principles.

Shinde faces significant challenges in consolidating Shiv Sena's influence over the next five years, especially as the BJP has declared its ambitious goal of securing a majority in the 2029 Assembly elections independently.

Inspired by Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray and Thane district chief Anand Dighe, Shinde commenced his political journey by tackling social issues in the 1980s.

He engaged in various protests and faced imprisonment during the Maharashtra-Karnataka border dispute.

Shinde entered electoral politics in 1997 when he was first elected as a corporator in the Thane Municipal Corporation. His journey has been continuous since then, becoming the house leader in 2001 and maintaining that position for three years.

He was first elected to the state assembly in 2004 and has since won subsequent elections in 2009, 2014, 2019, and 2024 from Thane, later from Kapri Pachpakhadi constituencies. He served as the Leader of the Opposition in 2014 and later held a ministerial position in the Devendra Fadnavis-led government from December 2014 to October 2019.

Shinde also served as a minister in the Uddhav Thackeray-led government until he shifted allegiance and became the Chief Minister of the MahaYuti government in June 2022.

(Sanjay Jog can be reached at sanjay.j@ians.in)