They were in Delhi for the swearing in ceremony of Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta but avoided even crossing the path of each other and the kind of statement he made that ‘no one should underestimate me’ was clearly pointed towards the Maharashtra CM. However, he later said that there is no cold war between him and the CM. On the contrary the other Dy CM Ajit Pawar is not only in tandem with the government but cooperating with the CM in every matter.

How and why Eknath Shinde is behaving like this? Sources said that the DY CM and his son Srikant Shinde is relying more on the advice of the person and company that was hired during the tenure of Shinde as CM for media and perception management. Sources said that advices coming from there are harming him more than helping. So much so that Shiv Sena MPs are also very angry with the son of Shinde.

The faith has shaken so much that a parallel body Medical Aid Cell is created by Shiv Sena for its people over the Chief Minister's Relief Fund (CMRF) in the state. If sources are to be believed this has not only embarrassed the CM but making things obvious to people that all is not well in the Maharashtra government.

The issue of guardian minister was also in dispute between the BJP and SS when the state government stayed the decision for Raigad and Nashik districts over a dispute in Mahayuti. Women and Child Welfare minister Aditi Tatkare from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) was made Guardian minister of Raigad while Water Resources minister from the BJP Girish Mahajan was given the charge of Nashik, however, their appointment has been rescinded after the disputes within the alliance.  There was controversy after the CM released the list of newly appointed guardian ministers, a move that had followed prolonged discussions within the coalition. However, this decision was met with confrontation from senior Shiv Sena leaders. Shinde played a pivotal role in challenging the appointments. Bharat Gogavale, a Shiv Sena minister, had insisted on being appointed as the guardian minister for Raigad district, but the post was given to Aditi Tatkare instead. Similarly, Dada Bhuse, another Shiv Sena leader, had sought the guardianship of Nashik, but the post was instead assigned toa BJP leader Girish Mahajan.

The Deputy CM warned that the discontent among Gogavale's supporters and Bhuse's frustration over the Nashik appointment could lead to significant unrest within the party. In response, Fadnavis agreed to delay the appointments of Tatkare and Mahajan as guardian ministers, temporarily shelving the decisions until further discussions take place.

Amid talks that he is still sulking for being denied the top post in the government, Shinde chose not to attend the war room meeting chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in the first week of February and cancelled two review meetings of the Urban Development Department and Water Supply and Sanitation Department. Shinde had also skipped the cabinet meeting last week and still not attending meetings.  But the kind of majority the BJP has, it seems impossible for Shinde to succeed in arm-twisting the BJP but this may harm Mahayuti in BMC elections. Sources said that Shinde must understand that Uddhav Thackrey has become politically irrelevant after distancing himself from the BJP. He has nowhere to go and if Shinde takes any drastic decision, he may meet the same fate. So, he is trying to keep central leadership of the BJP in good humour.

(Vinod Kumar Shukla)