As race for Maharashtra CM post heats up, Shinde Sena demands ‘Bihar pattern’

In Bihar, the Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar was given the chief ministerial position despite the BJP attaining more seats than his party in the Assembly elections.

“We feel that the Bihar pattern should be implemented in the state for the Maharashtra chief ministerial position and Eknath Shinde should become the CM again,” Shinde Sena MP Naresh Mhaske said, adding that he believed the BJP would not do injustice to its alliance partners.

“The election was contested under the leadership of Shinde ji and because of Shinde ji’s value and connection with the people, we have got this mandate. So, we feel that Shinde ji should be made the chief minister,” said another Sena MLA, Sanjay Shirsat.

Simultaneously, Sena workers across the state are pushing for Shinde to become the CM again, with some even performing pooja and praying at temples. Several leaders from Shinde Sena also met Fadnavis and other BJP leaders to discuss their demand.

According to sources in the Mahayuti, Eknath Shinde, Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar will go to Delhi on Monday night to meet the top leadership of the BJP, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and BJP president J P Nadda. “The decision will be taken only after the meeting in Delhi. But the Shiv Sena is not going to back out and we will keep pressing for the demand,” said a source.

Meanwhile, the Mahayuti seems to have already finalised the cabinet berth-sharing formula, with one berth to be given for five to six MLAs. According to this formula, Shinde’s Sena is likely to get 12 cabinet berths, Ajit Pawar-led NCP to get 10 berths, and the rest would go to BJP.

According to a Sena led functionary, Shinde remaining, is crucial for the state as well as the Mahayuti, and the party put forth the demand giving several substantial grounds for this, including keeping rival the Shiv Sena (UBT) in check.

A party functionary said that if Eknath Shinde does not become the CM, it will give the Sena (UBT) and Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) an opportunity to grow in the state and target Devendra Fadnavis as well as the BJP, and a sentiment will rise that the BJP used the Shiv Sena name and symbol to prop itself up to power through Eknath Shinde, and then dumped him. The functionary said that every decision of the government would turn into a Gujarat vs Maharashtra fight.

The Shinde led Sena leader said that Shinde is pivotal in ensuring the consolidation of Maharashtrian people and the Marathi pride (Asmita). “By continuing with Shinde as CM, the Mahayuti can consolidate on the Marathi pride. It will show BJP’s benevolence & its commitment to respect Marathi pride,”he said.

“The mandate given to Mahayuti was because of the welfare schemes launched by the previous government led by the CM and his outreach to all the castes, creed and the religion. A continuity of the CM will further build on the image of good governance of Mahayuti and deepen the impact of the schemes,” the Sena leader added.

“Caste division and distrust is still a real issue in Maharashtra, having a Maratha CM will keep all forces at bay. He ensured that reservations for others are not disturbed while Marathas get social and economic justice,” the Sena claims.

In the upcoming months, there will be local body polls across Maharashtra. According to the Sena leader, a change of face now would lead to re-evaluation of the government and lose the current momentum built by the assembly polls victory.

The Shiv Sena has also said that Shinde should become the CM as every pre-poll survey showed that Eknath Shinde was the most popular CM face across Maharashtra.