Decode Politics: Why Mahayuti partners are now jostling over District Guardian Ministers

Who are district guardian ministers, and why are they significant?

A District Guardian Minister presides over the meetings of the District Planning and Development Committee (DPDC), which has MLAs, MPs and elected members of local bodies as its members and drafts plans in accordance with the guidelines prescribed by the state government.

Former CEO of Pune Zilla Parishad Ayush Prasad pointed out that the DPDC, which meets twice a year, gets its funds from the state government, which amount to around 10% of the state’s budgetary allocation. “A district like Pune gets around Rs 1,200 crore annually, which amounts to Rs 6,000 crore in a five-year period,” Prasad said.

The former CEO said that the DPDC is empowered to execute projects which cost up to Rs 15 crore, including building gram panchayat offices, construction of roads and setting up streetlights in rural areas. “Any project exceeding that cost is implemented by the state government,” he said.

Former MP Shivajirao Adhalrao-Patil called for a more proactive role for members of local bodies. “The MLAs dominate the DPDC meetings and those close to the Guardian Minister manage to get more funds for their constituencies,” he said.

How are District Guardian Ministers chosen?

A District Guardian Minister is usually a senior politician who holds a Cabinet-level ministry and belongs to the ruling party or alliance.

The minister’s primary role is the implementation of development plans across the district. In case a particular district does not have a Cabinet minister, a minister from another district may be appointed as the Guardian Minister.

The guardian minister also serves as the “point of contact” between governance and party affairs.

Which districts may be sticking points for the Mahayuti?

In Pune, NCP chief and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who represents the Baramati constituency in the Assembly, has been Guardian Minister for the past 20 years and is seen to be keen on retaining the post. Party spokesperson Sanjay Tatkare has made it clear that the party would not give up its claim to the post. “Though we do not have the numbers, we have an understanding that the NCP will be the major player in Pune district,” he said.

The BJP seems to have resigned to the fact that Ajit will retain the post. “We have 10 MLAs (in the district) while the NCP has only eight… Ideally, we must get the post (of Guardian Minister), but I do not think Ajit will allow us that honour,” a BJP leader said.

The BJP and the Shiv Sena led by Deputy CM Eknath Shinde seem to be in a tussle in Thane, seen to be Shinde’s home turf. While the Sena has two ministers – Shinde and Ovala-Majiwada MLA Pratap Sarnaik – from the district, BJP Airoli MLA Ganesh Naik too comes from the district. “I think Shinde must be made the Guardian Minister of the district as Thane saw development during his previous stint,” Sarnaik said.

Satara is seeing four ministers – Patan MLA Shamburaj Desai of the Sena, Satara MLA Shivendraraje Bhosale and Man legislator Jaykumar Gore from the BJP, and Wai MLA Makrand Patil of the NCP – vying for the post of District Guardian Minister.

In Kolhapur, the tussle is seemingly between Kagal MLA Hasan Mushrif of the NCP and Radhanagari MLA Prakash Amitkar of the Shiv Sena while in Ratnagiri, Sena ministers Uday Samant (Ratnagiri MLA) and Yogesh Kadam (Dapoli) are seen to be frontrunners for the post.

Yavatmal is witnessing a three-cornered fight between Umesh Uaike of the BJP, Digras-Darwa MLA Sanjay Rathod of the Sena and Pusad legislator Indranil Naik of the NCP, while Sena minister Sanjay Shirsat, who is also the party’s spokesperson, is in contention for the post along with the BJP’s Atul Save in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.

In Jalgaon, BJP Bhusawal MLA Sanjay Savkare is battling it out with the Sena Jalgaon Rural legislator Gulabrao Patil.

Why is Beed district the most in the limelight?

The district, seen to be the home turf of the NCP’s Dhananjay Munde, has been seeing widespread protests since the killing of Massajog sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh on December 9.

Since then, there has been strong opposition to Munde being appointed as the Guardian Minister not just from the Opposition ranks but also from leaders within the Mahayuti. Munde’s close aide Valmik Karad is facing allegations in connection with Deshmukh’s murder and Munde has been accused of “solely being responsible for the terrorising atmosphere” that prevails in the district.

At an all-party rally Saturday, MLAs of the district and Beed MP Bajrang Sonawane of the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) demanded Munde’s ouster from the state Cabinet. “Ajit must become Guardian Minister of Beed. Only then will he realise that the district is being turned into a state like Bihar,” he said.

BJP MLA Suresh Dhas echoed his rival’s views and also demanded Munde’s sacking. “Karad must be sent to jail. Beed’s ‘mafia raj’ should be brought to an end,” he said.

Where does the Beed situation leave CM Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit?

With Munde being seen as close to both Fadnavis and Ajit, both leaders are in a spot of bother.

The BJP has the option of making Munde’s cousin and BJP MLC Pankaja Munde the Guardian Minister of Beed if the Mahayuti chooses not to appoint him. “However, Fadnavis and Pankaja do not see eye-to-eye,” a BJP leader said.

Fadnavis has said he is ready to visit Beed if state BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule tells him to, but that he would like to retain the guardian ministership of Gadchiroli. “The final decision (with regard to Guardian Ministers) will be taken by our party chief in consultation with our alliance partners,” Fadnavis said.

However, Ajit is not likely to cede ground to his allies easily and is keen on Munde being appointed to the post.