All's not well in MVA: Pawar's praise for Shinde sparks turmoil

Maharashtra: In a move that has unsettled the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar recently honored Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde at a literary event in Delhi. This gesture has been met with strong disapproval from the Shiv Sena (UBT) faction, with senior leader Sanjay Raut expressing deep resentment. The incident has exposed underlying fissures within the MVA coalition.

Pawar's unexpected felicitation of Shinde

At the 98th Akhil Bhartiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan in Delhi, Sharad Pawar presented the Mahadji Shinde Rashtra Gaurav Puraskar to Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. During the event, Pawar lauded Shinde's "significant contribution" to the regions of Thane, Navi Mumbai, and Mumbai, emphasizing the need for "strong and consistent leadership" in these areas.

Shiv Sena's (UBT) strong reproach

The Shiv Sena (UBT) faction, led by Uddhav Thackeray, reacted sharply to Pawar's actions. Senior leader Sanjay Raut criticized Pawar for honoring Shinde, accusing him of collaborating with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the BJP to orchestrate the 2022 split in the Shiv Sena. Raut remarked, "Sharad Pawar did not felicitate Shinde, but he felicitated Amit Shah. This has hurt the sentiments of Marathi people."

BJP's perspective and political implications

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) seized the opportunity to highlight the discord within the MVA. Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule interpreted Pawar's gesture as an acknowledgment that Shinde was a more effective chief minister than Uddhav Thackeray. He referenced Pawar's autobiography, noting that Thackeray visited the state secretariat, Mantralaya, only twice during his tenure, while Shinde is known to work tirelessly for extended hours.