![Sharad Pawar: Uddhav’s faith in Shinde may be behind the crisis, Fadnavis clearly unhappy with Deputy CM post Sharad Pawar: Uddhav’s faith in Shinde may be behind the crisis, Fadnavis clearly unhappy with Deputy CM post](https://images.indianexpress.com/2022/06/pawar-5-1-1.jpg)
NCP President Sharad Pawar said Thursday that Uddhav Thackeray’s over-reliance on Eknath Shinde is one reason for Shiv Sena’s current political predicament.
Speaking to media representatives, Pawar said the main challenge for the Shinde government is to gain credibility in the eyes of the Maharashtra people given the circumstances under which it was sworn into power. He claimed that the BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis was visibly unhappy at being appointed deputy prime minister and was forced to accept the post due to pressure from party bosses.
“I believe that Uddhav Thackay’s working style is such that when he trusts someone, he gives them complete autonomy in their work. We saw that he had given Eknath Shinde full responsibility for running the legislative wing as well as the party. He gave him the lead. I don’t know if that is the cause of what turned out,” Pawar said.
Expressing his surprise at Fadnavis’ appointment as deputy CM, Pawar said: “One who was the CM and worked as the leader of the opposition has been appointed deputy CM. There are things you need to do when the order comes from Delhi or Nagpur. It was a big surprise, but when you want to enjoy power at all costs, things like that happen and Fadnavis saw that today.”
आज माध्यम संवाद साधताना नवनियुक्त नवनियुक्त मुख्यमंत्ी श्ी. एकनाथ शिंदे आणि उपमुख्यमंत्री श्री. देवेंद्र फडणवीस यांना शुभेच्छा दिल्या. तसेच त्या असलेल्या विविध र घडामोडींविषयी आपले विचार व्यक्त. https://t.co/Q9WFhpdyEd#Press conference
— Sharad Pawar (@PawarSpeaks) June 30, 2022
Pawar claimed he spoke to Shinde and congratulated him after he became CM and said that Shinde managed to see over 40 MLAs leave the Shiv Sena. “The exemption currently in force has the required majority and other parties must accept this reality with dignity.”
Pawar went on to say that central bodies like the ED are being used to attack and pressure political opponents. He claimed that in recent days he has received communications from the Income Tax Agency asking for information on property affidavits he filed while contesting the Lok Sabha elections. “I have received IT communications asking for ownership details that I showed in the affidavit filed for the 2004, 2009 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections and the 2020 Rajya Sabha elections,” said Pawar.
Pawar took on Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, saying: “He must reflect on his behavior and work to restore the prestige of the governor’s office.”
When Shinde became CM, the BJP’s grassroots, who were in a celebratory mood over Fadnavis’ return to the helm, were caught off guard. However, Shiv Sena and Congress claimed they knew it was coming.
“I’m not surprised…I knew they were going to make Eknath Shinde CM. That must have been the deal. Why else would so many MLAs be running to Surat and Guwahati…it’s clear they’ve been working on a deal for the last year,” said Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut.
Congress spokesman Atul Londhe said: “We have discussed this among ourselves. We had come to the conclusion that the BJP would act in favor of Shinde.”
Londhe added that Shinde becoming CM means that the BJP is getting closer to their ambition to “smash” the Sena. “Besides trying to checkmate Sena, BJP also trimmed Devendra Fadnavis,” he added.
BJP’s Sudhir Mungantiwar downplayed reports that Fadnavis was unhappy, saying: “At BJP we take orders from our top leader as an ordinary Karyakarta… Devendra Fadnavis will use all his experience for the advancement and prosperity of the people of Maharashtra.”
Shiv Sena’s Maval MP Shrirang Barne, known for his closeness to Shinde, said he was completely surprised by the move. “I couldn’t believe that Shinde could become prime minister. The way BJP has been going for the last two and a half years, I thought they would make Fadnavis the CM.”