The ongoing cold war between chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde is causing some unease within the three-party Mahayuti government. Since the Mahayuti 2.0 government took over in the first week of December, chief minister Fadnavis has directed the administration to probe several dozen decisions taken by Shinde or his ministers in the previous government. The two parties are also at loggerheads over various issues right from guardian ministership to reducing security cover of Shiv Sena legislators. Shinde’s remarks that he “should not be taken lightly” has caused a flutter in the ruling camp with many Mahayuti leaders wondering where this cold war will lead to.
Speaking at the Sahitya Sammelan in Delhi on Sunday, deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar directly asked Shinde (who too was present at the function) about his remarks. “Exactly who should not take you lightly? Mashal (torch which is symbol of Thackeray faction) or someone else?” quipped Pawar.
Meanwhile, a businessman friend of a top politician, whose name was frequently taken in the corridors of power in the past couple of years, seems to be under watch. Apparently, he also got a knock on his doors by friends from a central agency some time ago. This has become a talking point in political circles.
Marathi lit meet controversies
The Marathi Sahitya Sammelan, the annual literary meet, is also known for controversies. This year’s Sammelan too has managed to continue this tradition. It began with the controversy over Shinde’s felicitation by NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar at a run up to the event. Shiv Sena (UBT) not only objected to it but also described the event as “political brokering”. A body of litterateurs from Marathwada region had demanded the adoption of a resolution condemning events in Beed and Parbhani (murder of sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh and death of a Dalit youth while he was in police custody) and seeking a proper probe by the state government. However, the demand was turned down, citing that the issue was not related to literature. On Sunday, leader from Shiv Sena and deputy chairperson of legislative council Neelam Gorhe chose her interview at the Sammelan to make allegations against Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sajay Raut has shot off a letter to the organisers seeking an apology over the use of the literary platform for “political mudslinging”.
Did Pawar drop a line from his speech?
NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, who was hosting the Sahitya Sammelan in Delhi, possibly omitted a line from his speech at the inauguration of the event in presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday. The last paragraph of Pawar’s printed speech had a sentence: “Time will never forgive those who remain self-obsessed while there is wildfire all around us.” It was in the printed copy of the speech distributed at the venue but was missing from Pawar’s actual speech which left many wondering whether the omission was deliberate or made unknowingly.
Agriculture ministers and their controversies
It is a strange coincidence that ministers who handle the agriculture department have been landing up in controversies. In 2014, then revenue and agriculture minister Eknath Khadse had to quit following allegations of misuse of office for personal gains. Sena minister Dada Bhuse too faced allegations of links with a person involved in a drug case in Pune. NCP minister Dhananjay Munde is in trouble over allegations of corruption in purchases made by his department during his tenure as agriculture minister. While the controversy is going on, now the current agriculture minister Manikrao Kokate (again from NCP) is facing trouble following his conviction for submitting fake documents to get a low-income group house. The Opposition is demanding his resignation.
‘Phone a minister’
Rural development minister Jaykumar Gore has found a novel way to tackle corruption in local government bodies in rural areas. He recently asked Panchayat Samitis in Satara to post his phone number on billboards asking people to call him directly if they have information about any instances of corruption. Significantly, a political worker from Gore’s constituency has filed a petition in High Court alleging corruption under his watch during the Covid epidemic.