How Devendra Fadnavis placated Eknath Shinde, kept the peace in Mahayuti

However, of late, things have appeared to be on the mend, with the Deputy CM attending Cabinet and departmental meetings convened by Fadnavis. This transformation has been aided by the Mahayuti leadership’s decision to include Shinde even more in administrative matters by routing all the files through him before they reach Fadnavis for approval. In another example of the BJP’s efforts to accommodate Shinde, the state government on Thursday appointed Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik of the Shiv Sena as the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation’s (MSRTC) chairperson. The government had stripped the Transport Ministry of control over the MSRTC on February 5, appointing IAS officer Sanjay Sethi as the corporation’s chairperson.

Since the new government came to power, all files on administrative matters first came to the other Deputy CM, Ajit Pawar, who holds the finance ministry. Pawar vetted these files before sending them on to Fadnavis’s office for final approval. In this process, Shinde, who holds the Urban Development and Housing portfolios, had no role to play apart from issues related to his department.

“As per the rules dated 26.07.2023 about procedure, and according to the instructions given by the CM after Deputy Chief Minister and Minister (Finance) and then Deputy Chief Minister and Minister (Home, Law and Justice), subjects were sent to the CM. This order is being modified, now all the subjects specified in the second schedule of the Maharashtra Government Regulations (will go to) DCM (Finance) will go to DCM (Urban Development, Housing) and then (be) submitted to the CM for his approval,” read an official order that Chief Secretary Sujata Saunik dated March 18.

“Shinde was forced to forgo his claim on the CM post after the Assembly elections and was feeling left out of the administrative system as his powers were limited,” said a Mahayuti insider. Feeling left out and miffed with his allies because of a dispute over the appointment of guardian ministers for Nashik and Raigad districts, Shinde appeared to distance himself from administrative matters, causing concern in the alliance.

To ensure stability and bring Shinde back on board, Fadnavis decided to rework the arrangement and directed that all files from Pawar be referred to Shinde and then be brought to the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO).

“In June 2022, when Sena and BJP were in coalition government, Fadnavis, as Deputy CM in charge of finance and planning, went through all the files before it went to Shinde for approval. A year later, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) joined the government and Pawar was made the Deputy CM with the finance portfolio while Fadnavis was left with Home. At the time, all the files from Pawar came to Fadnavis before going to Shinde,” said a CMO official.

“When you have to climb down from CM to the Deputy CM post, it is not an easy transition, which is understandable,” said a senior BJP functionary. “By bringing Shinde into decision-making, Fadnavis has shown large-heartedness to placate an alliance partner. This also keeps both Shinde and Pawar at par by giving them the same rights and powers.”

“By giving Shinde the rights to all files, Fadnavis has restored the balance of power within the coalition. It is a gesture that will help the government,” said a senior Cabinet minister who is from the Shiv Sena.

Referring to Shinde’s alleged unhappiness earlier, a Sena leader said, “Every party has its identity and agenda. Just because that raises some questions, a decision inside or outside the Cabinet does not mean it is working against the CM or the BJP-led government.”