Mumbai: The rift within the Mahayuti alliance has become increasingly apparent, with Shiv Sena MLA Abdul Sattar publicly accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of injustice against his party on Wednesday. Sattar demanded that Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde be appointed Chief Minister for a period of two and a half years. Another Shiv Sena MLA, Sanjay Gaikwad, supported Sattar's claims of injustice, alleging BJP interference in his Buldhana constituency.
Sattar's Statement
Speaking to the media, Sattar questioned, "If the Chief Minister can be appointed and then changed in Bihar, why not in Maharashtra? The BJP has made Shiv Sena the second-ranking party in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar." His remarks came a day after a three-hour meeting with Shinde, who reportedly advised him to adhere to the coalition's principles and avoid open criticism of the BJP.
Sattar also announced that his son, Sameer, would withdraw his nomination as an independent candidate against the official Mahayuti candidate, Suhas Shirsat of the BJP, from the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar seat. "Shinde's orders will be followed for the MLC polls," Sattar stated. However, he fueled further speculation about a possible merger between the two Shiv Sena factions by noting that party MLAs were growing restless. He suggested that a decision should be made by Shinde and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray.
Concerns Within the Alliance
Sattar expressed concerns about the alliance's future, stating, "There is no opposition in the state, and hence, Mahayuti partners are fighting among themselves. What happened to Uddhav Thackeray and Congress in the state can happen to us too." He emphasized that injustice had been done to Shinde by not making him Chief Minister, noting that the 2024 election was fought under Shinde's leadership. "One leader can be blamed for losing the election; similarly, he should be credited for winning it. Our demand is that Shinde be made CM for 2.5 years," he added.
Gaikwad's Allegations
Sanjay Gaikwad alleged that senior BJP ministers were preventing him from raising questions in the assembly on public interest issues and were protecting vested interests. He claimed, "Two cabinet ministers were beaten up, and even after that, no action was taken." Gaikwad also expressed concern for the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), stating, "Deputy CM Sunetra Pawar has not been given the finance portfolio held by her late husband Ajit Pawar. I fear that just like us, they too will be played by the BJP."
Shinde's Stance
On Monday, Shinde downplayed merger talks triggered by statements from Sattar and Shiv Sena (UBT) MLC Ambadas Danve. He asserted that his Shiv Sena carries forward the ideology of party founder Bal Thackeray and has the people's mandate. However, the next day, Sattar and Danve fueled further speculation when they met and embraced on the Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Expressway in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. On Tuesday night, Sattar met Shinde in Thane and decided to have his son withdraw his nomination for the MLC polls following the meeting.
