As Shinde takes breather, his village rallies around him, wants him back as CM

She said Shinde is her distant brother’s son and she has known him since childhood, adding, “The police didn’t allow us to meet him last night.” Her views that he should remain CM was shared by several villagers including the young and the old.

Sakkobai Laxman Shinde, an 80-year-old resident, shared a similar sentiment, while admitting she had limited understanding of politics. She said, “He should lead not just our village but all of Maharashtra.” She highlighted local issues like frequent leopard attacks during cattle grazing, saying, “Just yesterday, a leopard took away two goats while a man was grazing cattle in the forest. This is a serious issue for our village and nearby areas, spanning to Vasota village.” However, when asked about safety measures from Shinde, the village sarpanch and other authorities, she chose to remain silent.

Ranjeet Shinde, sarpanch of Dare, recalled successful schemes and CM’s work in his village over the past few years. “Although we have network issues, the CM has installed ten towers, which 105 surrounding villages rely on,” he said. In the village, due to ongoing road work, underground cables have been damaged. However, two digital schools with computer facilities and internet connectivity will soon be built in the area.

Of 1,500 villagers, 80 per cent have migrated to Mumbai for work due to a lack of income sources. “Along with schools, Zilla Parishad hospitals are in the works. Until then, we have a primary healthcare centre in the village,” the sarpanch said.

A major ongoing project is the construction of three bridges over the Koyna river, expected to be completed by May. “For years, it was difficult to travel between villages, such as from Tapola to Dare. The first bridge, connecting Mahabaleshwar to Shindi village, is complete. The other two will connect Mahabaleshwar to Tapola, Ahir and Khed, and another will connect Satara to Khed.”

While Shinde’s native village expressed steadfast support, there was a glimmer of hope for those who travelled long distances hoping to meet him and seek assistance. A resident of Javle village in Khandala taluka, who drove over 200 km with Nilesh Shivaji Shirole, a paralysed youth and his mother seeking financial aid, initially expressed frustration after being denied access.

“We reached at night but weren’t allowed inside. I rented a car to bring Nilesh and his mother when we heard he was coming. We hoped to request help for Nilesh,” he said. Adding to his distress, he said, “We spent the entire night in the car due to lack of money. I didn’t know how I’d pay the rent for the car.”

However, before leaving Dare for Thane, Shinde met the family and assured them of financial assistance. “He listened to us and promised to help Nilesh. This has restored our faith in him,” said the man, visibly relieved after the meeting.

Meanwhile, Shinde reiterated his willingness to accept the high command’s decision regarding the CM post, leaving Maharashtra’s political situation in suspense.