Mumbai BJP chief transforms self
The president of the Mumbai BJP unit, 51-year-old Ashish Shelar, was typically seen in his usual attire of blue jeans and a white shirt. However, there was a notable change when the Mumbai BJP MLA appeared for the first time in a khadi shirt, jacket, and trousers. Shelar mentioned that he would continue wearing the khadi shirt and jacket as per the request of his party leader and Home Minister Amit Shah. There is speculation about whether this change in attire signifies Shelar’s preparation for a key political role
or is simply a part of shedding youthful style and transforming into a mature politician.
Shinde faction MLAs still looking for cabinet posts
Shiv Sena MLAs Bharat Gogawale and Sanjay Shirsat, under the leadership of Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde, missed their first swearing-in ceremony for the Shinde government. Since then, they have been making efforts to be sworn in as ministers during the cabinet expansion, but success seems elusive. The demand for a ministry by Gogawale and Shirsat is considered a joke in political and media circles. Gogawale has even stopped complaining about the ministry, with some making jokes about their new blazer getting old as they wait to be sworn in as ministers.
Shinde faction gets old, larger Shiv Sena office
Power dynamics come into play in securing larger and more crucial offices during the winter sessions of the Maharashtra State Assembly in Nagpur. Factions within both parties are gaining more prominence than the original political party. The Shiv Sena, led by Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde, has been allocated a larger space at the original Shiv Sena location, while the faction led by Uddhav Thackeray has been given a smaller space at different locations. A similar situation exists for the NCP, with Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s faction being assigned an old NCP office in the assembly premises while NCP chief Sharad Pawar ‘s was given smaller spaces.
Sudhir Suryawanshi
Our correspondent in Maharashtra
suryawanshi.sudhir@gmail.com