Ties between Mahayuti alliance partners BJP and Shiv Sena have come under strain over chief minister Devendra Fadnavis' move to quash decisions taken by the previous Eknath Shinde government.
According to highly placed sources, Fadnavis, after taking over as chief minister, ordered an inquiry into the transport department’s Rs 2000 crore decision to take 1310 public transport buses on rent from private players, owing to a suspected violation of norms in the tender process.
Interestingly, in the probe report, it was revealed that officials had favoured specific private players from whom they rented out buses. Fadnavis has reportedly sought the cancellation of the earlier tender process and the floating of a new tender for public transport buses.
Moreover, Fadnavis has also ordered a probe into the Shinde government's decision to purchase 900 ambulances and medical equipment worth Rs 12,000 crore. The state health department's erstwhile minister and Shiv Sena MLA Tanaji Sawant was allegedly involved in a scam involving the purchase of ambulances. Here also, the tender conditions were tweaked to favour certain contractors and suppliers. Besides, the cost of the projects was escalated several times from Rs 9000 crore till it reached Rs 12000 crore.
Sources further added that Fadnavis also ordered a probe into the previous government's decision to purchase uniforms for school students. Earlier, Shiv Sena MLA and erstwhile school education minister Deepak Kesarkar had appointed one central agency to purchase the school uniforms. However, the current government decentralised the decision by delegating rights at a lower level.
The appointment of guardian ministers has further strained the relationship between the Shiv Sena and BJP. The Shiv Sena wanted school education minister Dada Bhuse and cabinet minister Bharat Gogawale to be appointed guardian ministers of Nasik and Raigad districts respectively. But Fadnavis turned down the demand, appointing BJP minister Girish Mahajan as Nasik guardian minister and NCP minister Aditi Tatkare as Raigad guardian minister.
After Shinde expressed anguish over the decision, Fadnavis suspended the appointments of the two guardian ministers.
Earlier, Shinde was unhappy over not being given the home ministry, which resulted in the oath taking ceremony being delayed.