MUMBAI: Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar is reportedly discontented with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde over a perceived reduction in his authority and a decrease in government fund allocations to his party. Sources indicate that during a recent meeting with Union Minister Amit Shah in Delhi, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis conveyed his grievances against Shinde.
In response to these alleged issues, Ajit Pawar has purportedly skipped a couple of cabinet meetings, citing health reasons. According to insider information, Shinde instructed Ajit not to conduct meetings for ministries allocated to other alliance parties.
Additionally, a decision was made to route all finance-related files through Fadnavis for preliminary approval, with the final nod from Chief Minister Shinde. This represents a departure from Ajit Pawar’s freedom in the previous Uddhav Thackeray government. A senior NCP leader from the Ajit Pawar faction, speaking anonymously, expressed concerns about the diminishing stature of Ajit Pawar within the current government.
Another grievance raised is the alleged unequal distribution of government funds among the three coalition partners. NCP MLAs are said to be dissatisfied, claiming that the BJP and Shiv Sena, led by Shinde, receive more power and funds. A senior NCP leader, requesting anonymity, emphasized the need for the BJP’s top leadership to address these disparities and uphold the promised equal distribution of power.
Congress MLA and Leader of Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar suggested that Ajit Pawar has a history of discontent when things don’t align with his desires. Wadettiwar pointed out that in the Uddhav Thackeray government, Ajit Pawar operated as a de facto chief minister with significant autonomy. However, Chief Minister Shinde has allegedly curtailed his influence, leading to Pawar’s current grievances.
Wadettiwar highlighted the irony in Ajit Pawar, now the finance minister, complaining about inadequate funds for his party’s MLAs, considering that Shinde’s faction had previously complained about the same issue during the Uddhav Thackeray government. In response to the alleged tensions, Ajit Pawar has called for a meeting of his party’s MLAs and ministers on November 21 to review the current political situation.
Recent events, like the Maratha reservation dispute, highlights the tension between the allies. A growing ego clash involves Sena veterans Gajanan Kirtikar and Ramdas Kadam, and the Pandharpur temple trust facing dilemma over which deputy chief minister (Phadnavis or Ajit Pawar) to invite for a ritual. An unscheduled dash by Ajit Pawar to meet Amit Shah in New Delhi has set tongues wagging on whether Shah can resolve the power clash between Shinde and Ajit Pawar.