Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Nov 19: Amid growing tension within the MahaYuti alliance during the ongoing nagar parishad and nagar panchayat elections, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday travelled to Delhi to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah and present the Shiv Sena’s concerns directly to him.
In contrast, Deputy Chief Minister and NCP chief Ajit Pawar, along with party working president Praful Patel, met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in Mumbai to discuss reinforcing the NCP–BJP partnership within MahaYuti during the current local body polls and the upcoming elections to 32 zilla parishads and 29 municipal corporations.
A minister from the Shinde camp confirmed the Delhi visit, stating that Shinde intends to convey the Sena’s commitment to strengthening the alliance ahead of the local and civic body polls—seen as crucial indicators ahead of the assembly elections. Shinde remained unavailable for comment.
The visit follows the Shiv Sena ministers’ boycott of Tuesday’s cabinet meeting, a move intended to demonstrate dissatisfaction with the BJP’s alleged attempts to lure Shiv Sena leaders and nominate them as candidates in local polls. While Sena ministers downplayed the boycott, they did not hide their unease over the BJP aggressively courting leaders from traditional Sena strongholds such as Thane, Kalyan, Dombivli, Konkan and areas of western Maharashtra.
Shinde faction ministers met the Chief Minister and complained about the BJP’s internal recruitment tactics. Fadnavis reportedly assured them that the BJP would refrain from inducting leaders from its allies—including Shiv Sena and NCP—going forward. He also reminded them that BJP’s moves came after the Shiv Sena itself had drawn a number of BJP leaders into its fold ahead of the elections.
Meanwhile, Pawar and Patel reiterated the NCP’s unwavering support for the alliance during their meeting with the Chief Minister. A senior NCP leader described the discussion as part of the ongoing cordial relationship between the two parties, emphasising that the NCP has made no efforts to poach BJP members.
The leader added that the NCP intends to maintain unity within MahaYuti and avoid giving the opposition any opportunity to capitalise on internal disagreements during the polls.
An NCP minister further noted that, although the allies are contesting separately in the local and civic elections, they expect to regroup and govern together once results are declared, reaffirming the MahaYuti’s long-term cohesion.