From “No NCP” To “Triple Engine”, Eknath Shinde’s Changing Stance

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde extended a warm welcome today to Ajit Pawar, who joined the ruling alliance with what he claimed was “practically the whole party”. The welcome though, was a 180-degree-turn for Mr Shinde, whose party had threatened in April to quit the government if Ajit Pawar joins the alliance with his faction.

“Our policy is clear about it. The NCP is a party which betrays. We will not be with the NCP even in power,” Shinde Sena faction spokesperson Sanjay Shirsat had told reporters on April 19.   

“If the BJP takes NCP with them, Maharashtra will not like it. We decided to move out (of the earlier undivided Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray) because people didn’t like us going with the Congress and NCP,” he had said.

“Ajit Pawar doesn’t have a free hand there (in the NCP). Therefore, if he leaves the NCP, we will welcome him. If he comes along with a group of NCP (leaders), we will not be in the government,” Mr Shirsat had said.

Mr Pawar has claimed that the entire Nationalist Congress Party has joined the alliance government. “The NCP party has joined the government. The party name and symbol will be used by us to contest elections,” he said.

Mr Shinde had split the Shiv Sena accusing Uddhav Thackeray of allying with Sharad Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress, which were opposed life-long by Sena founder Bal Thackeray.

Today the Chief Minister said, “Now the double engine government has a triple engine. The state will sprint (on the path of development). Now we have one Chief Minister and two deputy chief ministers. This will help faster development of the state”.

What apparently enhances the Chief Minister’s discomfort is the better equation Devendra Fadnavis, now his deputy, is seen to share with Ajit Pawar.

The two had taken oath to form government together in 2019, in an early morning oath ceremony at the Raj Bhavan. That government lasted just three days before collapsing after Ajit Pawar was found to be lacking numbers.

Earlier this week, Mr Shinde and visited Delhi with Mr Pawar for meeting with Union Home Minister and the BJP’s chief strategist Amit Shah.  Sources said expansion of the Maharashtra cabinet was among the subjects discussed.