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The first thing the BJP can do beyond negotiating with the Sena leadership about its demand for portfolio is talking where Sena’s interest lies — the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), whose election is due next year.
Eknath Shinde resigned as Maharashtra Chief Minister on Tuesday, November 26. (Image: PTI)
At a winter afternoon surprise press conference called by Eknath Shinde on Wednesday, he virtually relinquished his Chief Ministerial ambitions for the second time and paved the way for Devendra Fadnavis even before his party leadership could make a case for him. “I’ll not be an obstacle in Mahayuti…,” he said.
Shinde has told Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah that he will never be a roadblock. He will accept the PM’s decision, he explained. His wisdom comes from a position of 57 seats knowing 132 seats commands the right of asking for the Chief Minister. Now, whether Eknath Shinde himself demotes himself as a Deputy Chief Minister like Devendra Fadnavis did under Shinde’s premiership to nominate someone remains to be seen. But it will not be an easy week ahead in particular and a month in general for a man who split Shiv Sena, became Maharashtra’s Chief Minister, and is now left as a second fiddle.
What can the BJP do to soften his hurt as he travels to New Delhi on Thursday along with Fadnavis and NCP chief Ajit Pawar, where they are expected to meet Amit Shah?
THE MEETING, THE DEMAND AND THE CALL
The decision to relinquish the demand for the Chief Ministerial post was made nearly 24 hours before Wednesday’s press conference was held — on Tuesday night. Few Shinde Sena leaders went to meet Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday, which was touted as “an informal meeting” by the Sena but where Fadnavis has been given a message that should BJP expect Shinde’s support, they should be open to negotiation for key portfolios like Home and Irrigation. CM Shinde kept the Urban Development Department (UDD), which the Sena wants to keep to itself as well.
Meanwhile, as Shinde made it public, he has made a call to PM Modi and expressed his support and now all three leaders will come to Delhi on Thursday when they are likely to meet Amit Shah and talk about government formation and its finer demands. The BJP has to walk a fine line in terms of agreeing to Sena’s portfolio demands.
SOFTENING THE BLOW, BEYOND PORTFOLIOS
The first thing the BJP can do beyond negotiating with the Sena leadership about its demand for portfolio is talking where Sena’s interest lies — the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), whose election is due next year. It is Asia’s richest civic body and is traditionally held by the undivided Shiv Sena. Now that the Eknath Shinde faction claims it is the real Shiv Sena, it will be incumbent upon the BJP to help Eknath Shinde Sena form its majority, come 2025, instead of the BJP making it a case of competitive allies. Undivided Shiv Sena won 84 seats out of a total 227 seats, while the BJP got 82 seats, in the 2017 elections. But this time around, Shinde will not only fight for his identity, but to crush whatever is left of Shiv Sena UBT. So, the BJP will have to consider the bigger picture here if it wants to soften the blow on Eknath Shinde.
If Eknath Shinde refuses to join as Deputy CM, the BJP will have the option to offer him a seat in the Modi cabinet either immediately or later. UPA era Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan is now a Rajya Sabha member while Narayan Rane too has made his journey from Varsha bungalow to the Modi Cabinet. If he chose to push his son’s future, three-time MP from Kalyan, who has emerged as the ‘face of CM’s son’ — Shrikant Shinde’s candidature for Modi’s council of ministers could also be considered as a balm.
