Ajit Pawar’s Meeting With Amit Shah Amid Shinde’s Silence Sparks Speculation
Mumbai, 3rd December 2024: Maharashtra politics is abuzz with speculation as Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has been resting due to health concerns, canceling his official meetings for the past few days. Meanwhile, Ajit Pawar, leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and a key ally in the Mahayuti Government, met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi, reportedly to negotiate key portfolios in the new government.
Sources suggest that Pawar has been pushing for the Housing Department, which was previously held by BJP’s Atul Save in Shinde’s cabinet. According to an NCP-Ajit Pawar Group member, the demand for the Housing Ministry was initially raised when the party joined the Mahayuti. “We are not making unreasonable demands. Housing Department has always been on our priority list, and we hope it will be allocated to us in the new government,” the member stated.
In 2023, when Ajit Pawar joined the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Mahayuti, his faction of the NCP was allocated nine ministerial portfolios. These included Deputy Chief Minister and Finance and Planning for Ajit Pawar himself, along with key departments such as Food and Civil Supplies for Chhagan Bhujbal, Cooperation for Dilip Walse Patil, and Medical Education for Hasan Mushrif, among others.
However, the recent political developments have underscored tensions within the alliance. Shinde’s Shiv Sena faction reportedly remains dissatisfied over key portfolios, particularly Home Affairs, which is held by BJP. This internal discontent, combined with Shinde’s recent absence from the political spotlight, has led to speculation about potential power struggles in the coalition.
Notably, Ajit Pawar had previously expressed support for BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis as Chief Minister after the Assembly Elections results, while Shinde and Fadnavis were said to be engaged in a behind-the-scenes tug-of-war over leadership.
With political negotiations intensifying and alliance dynamics under scrutiny, all eyes are on the next move from both Ajit Pawar and the BJP leadership as Maharashtra’s power balance hangs in the air.
