BJP event in Shinde bastion brings Mahayuti coldwar to fore

Maharashtra Forest Minister Ganesh Naik of the BJP held a public hearing ("janata darbar") in Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's bastion of Thane on Monday, bringing the ongoing cold war in the ruling Mahayuti alliance out in the open.

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Shinde happens to be the guardian minister of Mumbai city and Thane in addition to running three other ministries while BJP's Ganesh Naik is the guardian minister of the neighbouring Palghar district. Usually, public hearings to solve people's problems are held in party offices or ministerial bungalows or home districts of ministers.

But Ganesh Naik surprised everybody by holding his public hearing right in Shinde's bastion of Thane.

According to sources, before the public hearing, Naik's son and former MP Sanjeev Naik held several meetings with Thane BJP leaders to prepare for the event.

When asked about the event, Naik denied that there was any cold war in the Mahayuti camp. "The public hearing was held only to resolve people's issues. The next such meeting will be held in Thane in March," Naik said.