Is There a Proxy War in Mahayuti?

Mumbai, May 5 (NationPress) The Shiv Sena (UBT) voiced concerns on Monday that the Mahayuti government is facing turmoil, asserting that despite its significant majority, the alliance partners—BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP—are embroiled in a proxy war, with all senior leaders vying for the Chief Minister position.

The editorial criticized the May 3 meeting organized by the state government to celebrate 65 years since Maharashtra's formation, where all former Chief Ministers were invited, but none from the opposition were present. Former CM Eknath Shinde was also absent, opting to send a representative.

The Thackeray faction, in its mouthpiece Saamana, noted that all members of the grand alliance seem to be testing one another’s limits. Ajit Pawar has initiated efforts to instill discipline in the finance department, while the Chief Minister has limited contractor influence, leaving Eknath Shinde and his party ministers feeling the heat.

“Shiv Sena Minister Sanjay Shirsat labeled Ajit Pawar as ‘Shakuni’ (a sly character from the Mahabharata) after funds from the Social Justice department were redirected to the Ladki Bahin Yojana. This led to the minister's official assets being affected, as his resources were stripped away. The conflict within the state government has escalated to the point where the concerned minister demanded the dissolution of the social justice department. Recently, Shinde also boycotted the recognition event for former chief ministers organized by the NCP,” the Saamana editorial stated.

“Those who refer to Ajit Pawar as ‘Shakuni’ now might soon label Fadnavis as ‘Duryodhana’ (the primary antagonist in the Mahabharata). Prakash Ambedkar (founder of the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi) has warned that the moment of ‘swallowing’ is near. It is only a matter of time before we see who gets consumed in this Mahayuti,” the editorial further asserted.

Ambedkar cautioned that Shinde and Pawar should remain vigilant. “One can never predict when a python might strike. Ambedkar compared Fadnavis to a python, suggesting that those who have made sacrifices will not hesitate to eliminate any threats,” the editorial implied, hinting at Shinde's persistent quest for the Chief Minister's role.

“While the Maharashtra government boasts a majority, is it truly stable? It appears that the government’s stability is questionable, as evidenced by recent developments,” the Thackeray faction mocked.

“Currently, Devendra Fadnavis serves as Chief Minister, but Ajit Pawar has openly expressed his ambition for the role. Despite being Deputy Chief Minister multiple times, he has yet to secure the top post, especially given that his ties with the BJP limit his chances. Why would Amit Shah endorse a rival’s kin as Chief Minister?” the editorial queried.

“For years, I too aspired to be Chief Minister, but the right coalition has never materialized,” Ajit Pawar acknowledged recently. Despite his admission, Fadnavis remains unfazed. The event honoring former Chief Ministers was organized last week under the NCP, with Ajit Pawar managing party affairs in Maharashtra,” the Thackeray camp remarked.

“Ajit Pawar initiated the recognition of Maharashtra’s former Chief Ministers. Notably, Sharad Pawar, Sushilkumar Shinde, Prithviraj Chavan, and Uddhav Thackeray were absent from the ceremony, while Eknath Shinde also chose to boycott it, sending a representative instead. His avoidance of attending the event as a former Chief Minister suggests he struggles to accept his current status,” the editorial explained.

“Even after the Assembly elections, Amit Shah had assured Shinde he would be Chief Minister, yet Fadnavis took that position from him. Since then, Shinde has walked around with a chip on his shoulder, hinting at a return to the CM role,” the editorial quipped.

“If Shinde refuses to accept the title of ‘former,’ he might as well call himself the ‘future’ Chief Minister. Overall, the current situation in Maharashtra reflects confusion and instability. Maharashtra is suffering from this chaos. Two former Chief Ministers attended the ceremony organized by Ajit Pawar’s group. One of them, Narayan Rane, previously served as Chief Minister in the Shiv Sena-BJP coalition but has since switched allegiances without regaining the position. This illustrates the Shiv Sena’s role in navigating political challenges. ‘If not for the Shiv Sena, we’d have faced dire consequences,’ Rane has acknowledged in the past,” the editorial commented.

“The other former Chief Minister present was Ashok Chavan, who lost his position amid the Adarsh scam and has since joined the BJP. Such a former Chief Minister was recognized by Ajit Pawar’s faction. It remains unclear whether Fadnavis was celebrated as ‘former’ or ‘present,’ but the noticeable absence of the recent former Chief Minister diluted the impact of Ajit Pawar’s event,” the Thackeray camp noted with sarcasm.

“While there are claims that meetings between Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar have increased, it’s worth noting that Sharad Pawar did not attend Ajit Pawar’s political recognition event. It would have been preferable for all former Chief Ministers to join the celebration of Maharashtra’s legacy, as Fadnavis remarked. However, the absence of the most recent former Chief Minister raises questions about the event’s significance,” the editorial concluded.