New Delhi: Internal conflict is surfacing within the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). The tension became apparent after Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction) president Sharad Pawar feted Maharashtra deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde during an event in Delhi. The felicitation has raised many hackles and drawn flak from the Shiv Sena (UBT). Its senior party leader Sanjay Raut hit out at Sharad Pawar for felicitating Shinde who, with allegedly with the support of the BJP, “orchestrated the split in the Shiv Sena in 2022”.
The Mahadji Shinde Rashtra Gaurav Puraskar was bestowed on Eknath Shinde at the 98th Akhil Bhartiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan. Sharad Pawar himself presented the award at the event. At the ceremony, Pawar lauded Eknath Shinde for his “notable contribution” to Thane, Navi Mumbai, and Mumbai.
‘Shinde has significantly contributed…’: Sharad Pawar
Sharad Pawar remarked that Thane, Navi Mumbai, and Mumbai need strong and consistent leadership to maneuver through their political landscape successfully. “Leaders like former municipal presidents Savlaram Patil and Rangnekar played crucial roles, and Eknath Shinde has significantly contributed as well,” Pawar pointed out.
While Pawar’s party dubbed it as a literary and cultural function instead of a political one, the BJP suggested that it was an indirect acknowledgment by Pawar that Shinde was a more effective chief minister than Uddhav Thackeray. Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule asserted the gesture of Pawar was an acknowledgment that Shinde was a superior chief minister to Thackeray.
‘Has hurt the sentiments of Marathi people’: Sanjay Raut
But, Raut said it was affront to the alliance. He pointed out that Sharad Pawar did not felicitated Shinde, but he felicitated Amit Shah. Speaking to reporters in Delhi, he criticised Sharad Pawar’s move, saying, “You are a senior politician, and we respect you. But those who split Balasaheb Thackeray’s Shiv Sena with the help of Amit Shah and weakened Maharashtra, you are honouring such people. This has hurt the sentiments of Marathi people.”
Brushing aside Raut’s statements, NCP (SP) MP Amol Kolhe said it was a personal opinion of the leader, adding that it was a cultural gathering, not a political event. “He demonstrated statesmanship, where politics is not involved in everything,” he underlined.
While accepting the honour, Eknath Shinde in his speech commended Sharad Pawar, and emphasised the importance of maintaining good relations across political lines. In a lighter vein, he said, “Pawar also bowls googly that are tough to play. He has not bowled me a googly. I am confident that he will not bowl me a googly in the future as well. I have good relations with Pawar.”
The tension has erupted at a time when both the MVA and the INDIA bloc are struggling with internal rifts, exacerbated by the outcome of last November’s polls in Maharashtra, Haryana, and the recent assembly elections in Delhi.
