Maharashtra: All ‘thanda thanda cool cool’ for Eknath Shinde?

Deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde has fresh egg on his face. On 3 January 2025, the French rail transport company Systra lodged a complaint at Bombay High Court against the MMRDA (Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority) unilaterally ending a contract. Systra, a general consultant for various metro projects, alleged that MMRDA officials ‘[sought] undue favours, delayed payments, pressured the firm into inflating orders to contractors, stalled approvals for critical staffing, and imposed arbitrary penalties’.

On 25 February, the high court struck down MMRDA’s termination of Systra’s contract for three Mumbai metro lines as ‘arbitrary and unfair’. The urban development department under Shinde supervises MMRDA — so the termination of the contract could not have happened without Shinde’s knowledge. Shinde’s response — a weak statement that a senior official would probe the graft allegations — seems a last-ditch effort to save face, as such an inquiry should have preceded the termination. It’s also inconceivable that Systra didn’t raise these issues with the department before going to court.

Despite his attempts to brazen it out, Shinde is increasingly cornered politically, both by unfolding events and pressure from the BJP. Sources claim that Union home minister Amit Shah issued a stern warning — indeed an ultimatum — to Shinde during a 4.00 am meeting in Pune last week. Even Shinde’s own Shiv Sena MLAs feel that the noose is tightening and unless he stops pulling punches above his weight, Central agencies could well come knocking at his door.

Shinde dismissed rumours of a rift between him and Fadnavis as baseless, claiming their relationship was “thanda, thanda, cool, cool”. Just days later, however (on 21 February), he issued a veiled warning: “Do not take me lightly. I toppled a government; those who took me lightly paid for it.”

Speaking at the valedictory session of the 98th Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan in New Delhi on 23 February, Ajit Pawar said it was not clear who Shinde meant. A sheepish Shinde, who took the podium after Pawar, said he was referring to an incident that took place two years ago.

Despite Shinde’s leading the Mahayuti alliance to an unexpected victory in the assembly election, the BJP quickly asserted its dominance, insisting Fadnavis should be the chief minister. Shinde, who led the Shiv Sena with 57 seats, reluctantly accepted Fadnavis’ leadership after the BJP secured 132 of 288 seats (just 12 short of a majority). Shinde, whose Sena won 57 seats, sulked and gave in. By wooing Ajit Pawar (whose NCP won 41 seats) the BJP made it clear that Shinde was not indispensable. Fadnavis also withdrew the ‘Y’ category security accorded by Shinde to all his MLAs.

While Pawar got finance and Fadnavis retained home, Shinde failed to get his followers their desired ministerial berths. Decisions taken by Shinde when he was chief minister were reversed, including financial allocations. Departmental inquiries have been ordered in quick succession into projects he cleared. One of these is the Rs 900-crore housing project at Jalna, which hurt all the more given that it was initiated after complaints made by a Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Santosh Sambre. Shinde had allegedly favoured a private builder and revived the abandoned project after manipulating feasibility reports.

A committee has been ordered to scrutinise allegations that nodal agencies appointed by the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) had demanded money from farmers for purchasing crops at MSP (minimum support price). These agents were allegedly appointed on the recommendation of Abdul Sattar, Shinde’s party leader and buddy.

Purchase orders for buses, ambulances, medical equipment and even school uniforms have either been cancelled or are under investigation.

Keeping the heat on, BJP leader and minister Ashish Shelar has written to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) commissioner Bhushan Gagrani to report on the poor quality of the Rs 6,000 crore road-cementing project. The BMC has also cancelled the Rs 1,400 crore dry waste management tender initiated by Shinde. Another blow to Shinde’s attempt to cadge the slum-dweller’s votes with an eye to the BMC elections, overdue for the past three years.

Apart from sulking and not showing up for cabinet and other meetings, Shinde’s options are few and far between. In a fit of confusing independence, he announced the launch of a ‘Deputy Chief Minister’s Medical Relief Cell’ claiming it was meant to coordinate with the ‘Chief Minister’s Medical Relief Cell’.

One thing’s for sure: he cannot afford to leave the alliance. He could have before the assembly election and before the formation of the government. Three months down the line, this is no longer likely. With the BJP signalling its keenness to join hands with Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT), Shinde has burnt his bridges and his boats.

Uncomfortable and frustrated, he can only watch as the BJP makes moves to weaken him on his own home turf Thane — by appointing Ganesh Naik the ‘guardian minister’ of Palghar, for one. Naik, who held a public durbar in Thane on 24 February, indicated that the BJP wanted its own mayor to control the Thane and Kalyan–Dombivali municipal corporations. Nor is the party likely to give Shinde any quarter in Navi Mumbai, either, say sources in the BJP.

Even though he did not name any names, Fadnavis’ declaration that known power brokers and financial brokers would not be allowed to be appointed OSDs and secretaries by ministers was clearly aimed at Shinde and his ministers.

While political analyst and journalist Vivek Bhavsar points out that Shinde remains a strong and popular leader and should not be dismissed, as many as 28 Shiv Sena MLAs are apparently ready to switch horses at the crack of the BJP’s pistol.

The undivided Shiv Sena controlled the cash-rich BMC for 25 consecutive years between 1997 and 2022. Both factions of the Shiv Sena are going to fight tooth and nail for it. Shinde, for his part, claims that like Arjuna, his eye sees only the target — ergo, winning the BMC polls. Has he taken into account the possibility of the BJP deciding to contest the most-watched local body election in alliance with the SS(UBT), projecting it as a ‘win-win’ situation for both? Will he ride this particular storm and live to fight another day?