A Measure Of Distance Between CM And Deputy

How a cornered Eknath Shinde is working to stay relevant since Devendra Fadnavis took over the reins of the state

- Saurabha Kulshreshtha and Yogesh Naik

MUMBAI: Today, in the run-up to the Marathi Sahitya Sammelan, deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde will be felicitated by Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP) chief Sharad Pawar in New Delhi.

Shinde's high-profile capital visit also illustrates his efforts to build bridges outside the Mahayuti.

Shinde and Pawar, the two Marathas had built a rapport when Shinde was chief minister and both men sought to assuage the leaders of the Maratha agitation. While their camaraderie had raised eyebrows earlier, Tuesday's award puts a stamp on their ties. It will also put Shinde back in the spotlight.

The man who cleaved the Shiv Sena and had a sensational career ascendancy as Maharashtra's dark horse CM, has since been forced to maintain a low profile after his negotiations with the BJP failed after Devendra Fadnavis replaced him as CM.

In a series of swift moves Fadnavis has decisively scuttled Shinde's efforts to retain the upper hand publicly. Last week, Shinde was kept out of the newly reconstituted State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) which has chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar. In January, after concluding the winter session of the state legislature, he ordered a probe into Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC)'s bus purchase tendering process which was started during Shinde's tenure as CM when he also helmed the body. A few days ago, Fadnavis appointed transport secretary Sanjay Sethi as chairman of MSRTC, quashing Shinde's chances of appointing one of his own MLAs to that position.

While Shinde's fair weather with the Mahayuti was not projected to last, Fadnavis is all out to prove who is the boss.