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Journalism of Courage
When Eknath Shinde rebelled against Uddhav Thackeray, split the Shiv Sena, and toppled the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in late June 2022, it was assumed that he would be the Chief Minister only in name while Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis calls the shots in the Mahayuti coalition government.
Two-and-a-half years later, not only has Shinde emerged out of the shadows of Fadnavis and the BJP, but according to Mahayuti insiders the way he goes about his business shows that he not only acts his part but is genuinely the leader of the coalition government and the leader the ruling alliance is heavily depending on to help it return to power.
Though the Mahayuti suffered a setback in Maharashtra in the Lok Sabha elections, winning only 17 of the state’s 48 parliamentary seats, Shinde emerged stronger on account of its win in seven of the 15 seats that his party Shiv Sena won. With a better strike rate than the BJP, which won nine of the 28 seats it contested, the Sena emerged as the third-largest BJP ally in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and strengthened Shinde’s hand in state politics.
According to Sena insiders, Shinde, despite not being a seasoned orator or administrator, has not only managed to efficiently run the government but has also managed to downsize his rivals in the coalition and keep the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in check. His party colleagues and other Mahayuti leaders said the government’s populist schemes — among them, the Ladki Bahin Yojana to reach out to women voters, the Ladka Bhau scheme for young men, and a farm loan waiver — infrastructure push, the liberal release of funds for different departments and MLAs, and setting up more than 50 corporations for different communities would work in the ruling alliance’s favour.
Politically, Shinde has also held his own in the alliance, driving a hard bargain during the Lok Sabha and Assembly election seat negotiations and ensuring that the BJP and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Ajit Pawar do not run the Sena over. A big reason for that is the links between him and the BJP top leadership in Delhi that is said to trust him. “Shinde has successfully made sure his people get justice and are rehabilitated which helped him ensure support for him among his party leaders remains intact and the party is strengthened,” said a Sena functionary.
Though the Maratha quota issue dented the Mahayuti in the parliamentary elections, Shinde’s handling of the politically sensitive matter — earlier this year, he got pro-quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil to stand down when he was leading a march to Mumbai to press his case — bolstered his image as a strong Maratha leader, eclipsed only by someone of the stature of NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar.
“Shinde ji is the CM and the Chief Minister is always in charge of the government,” said a BJP functionary. “The party never considered him a second fiddle. We work as a team and not in isolation. Fadnavis ji has always supported Shinde ji and they share a good rapport.”
Among the things that have worked for Shinde is his hands-on approach to governance and his underdog story. Born in a family of farmers in western Maharashtra’s Satara district, Shinde’s family moved to Thane in search of a better life and after completing his education he started driving an autorickshaw to support his family. He became a labour leader and in the 1980s, joined the Shiv Sena, swayed by the son-of-the-soil politics of party founder Bal Thackeray. His entry into politics was by the hands of Anand Dighe, his mentor and the Sena’s top leader in Thane at the time.
In 1997, Shinde was elected a corporator in the Thane Municipal Corporation and thus began his rise in Maharashtra politics. Seven years later, he was elected to the Assembly for the first time and the following year was appointed the party head in Thane. Serving as MLA for four terms, Shinde served as the minister of various departments such as Public Works, Public Health and Family Welfare, Urban Development, and Home Affairs in the Fadnavis and Uddhav Thackeray governments.
Sena leaders said Shinde internalised the message of Hindutva that Bal Thackeray espoused and Uddhav’s decision to ally with longtime rivals NCP and Congress after the 2019 polls rankled him, ultimately leading to the 2022 rebellion.
A Sena leader praised Shinde’s hands-on approach to administration. “Shinde’s approach to governance is grounded in action. His direct engagement with the people of Maharashtra, whether in villages or cities, has earned him the trust and admiration of the citizens. His ability to make quick decisions and follow through on promises is a significant reason for his popularity.”
But the Opposition MVA is far from convinced and has accused the Shinde government of being ineffective in retaining major industrial projects in the state and targeted it over unemployment, alleged preferential treatment for contractors and industrialists close to it, crime rates, and communal tensions. “It is the most ineffective government under which the unemployment rate has increased and mega projects have been moving out the state,” state Congress president Nana Patole has alleged.
Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, Ambadas Danve of the Sena (UBT), has said, “The state has been economically damaged during the government’s tenure with the Treasury in a mess because of lack of financial policies … The government started several schemes irresponsibly without proper financial planning. The law-and-order situation has also completely collapsed.”
