Maharashtra overshadowed by politics as Shinde government completes year in office

This Maharashtra news by The Hindu reported on clashes with Shiv Sena (UBT) being a constant feature of the Eknath Shinde-led government as it completes a year in office on June 30, 2023.

Bitter non-stop wrangling with the Uddhav Thackeray-led outfit and intermittent exchanges between the ruling partners have stood out as the Shiv Sena-BJP government in Maharashtra, steered by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, completes a year in office on Friday.

The Sena and Shiv Sena (UBT) labelled each other “gaddar” (traitor) after Shinde’s rebellion split their original party last year, while Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis publicly asserted he had exacted “revenge” on Thackeray for his “betrayal”.

Though comfortably placed to form the government after the 2019 Assembly elections, the undivided Shiv Sena and BJP ended their decades-long ties over the CM’s post. Thackeray then allied with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress to become the CM until Shinde toppled his cart.

About 50 MLAs on his side, Shinde took oath on June 30, 2022, and Fadnavis, a former Chief Minister whose party BJP has 105 legislators in the 288-member Assembly, became his deputy in what was seen as an unprecedented move.

Behind the wide grins and bonhomie on camera between Shinde and Fadnavis, there have been palpable signs of strain, triggered by words and ads, as the ruling alliance gears up to celebrate its first anniversary of being in power.

The going-ons have left little room for doubt that politics has overshadowed governance in these months, though the government moved quickly to speed up a few infrastructure projects, including Metro lines in Mumbai.