Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut, in a direct attack on Eknath Shinde, declared, “The Shinde era is over,” marking the changing political dynamics as the new Mahayuti government gets ready to take the oath. Raut said Shinde would “never be Chief Minister again” and that the BJP might just break up Shinde’s party – which was born from a rebellion that split the Shiv Sena and propelled him to the Chief Minister’s chair in the first place.
Eknath Shinde will be sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister this evening under the new Mahayuti government headed by Devendra Fadnavis. This decision comes after almost two weeks of suspense following the substantial victory of the BJP-led alliance in the Maharashtra elections.
Tensions arose as the Shiv Sena insisted that Shinde should continue as Chief Minister, while the BJP remained firm on its position. Ultimately, Shinde conceded and said he would not obstruct the government’s formation and would accept the BJP leadership’s decisions. The uncertainty over whether he would accept the Deputy Chief Minister post was there till a Sena leader confirmed that it.
Responding to Fadnavis’s statement about leading the government alongside Shinde and NCP chief Ajit Pawar, Raut emphasized, “Shinde era is over. It was for two years. His purpose has been served and he has been tossed aside.” He added that the BJP has a history of undermining parties that collaborate with them.
The rebellion by Shinde in 2022 toppled the Uddhav Thackeray-led administration comprising the Shiv Sena, NCP, and Congress. Subsequently, he joined hands with the BJP and formed the new government, with the Thackeray group renaming itself Shiv Sena (UBT). In the recent state elections, the Mahayuti coalition triumphed overwhelmingly with 230 seats as against the requirement of a simple majority, with BJP capturing 132, Shinde’s Sena gaining 57, and the NCP winning 41 seats.
Raut also said though Mahayuti had secured a majority in the house, the “delay” in government formation was proof that something is amiss in the coalition. “This indicates something is wrong within their party or Mahayuti. This will come out soon. They have come together out of selfishness, not in the interest of Maharashtra or the country,” he said.
The Opposition bloc of Maha Vikas Aghadi comprising Sena (UBT), Congress, and the NCP, however, said the results on electronic voting machines were “shocking.” They pointed out the contrast in the recent election result compared to their performance in the Lok Sabha elections. The BJP rejected the charges, citing the victory of the Opposition in the Jharkhand elections held along with the Maharashtra vote.
