Special Correspondent
Gadchiroli: The ongoing drama surrounding dissatisfaction within the Mahayuti alliance over the guardian minister posts has intensified. Minister Girish Mahajan recently visited Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde at his hometown of Dare. Commenting on this situation, Congress MLA Vijay Wadettiwar took a sharp dig at the Mahayuti’s internal discord, hinting at a possible leadership change.
“Shinde may soon be replaced by Uday Samant,” said Wadettiwar, suggesting that just as Shinde was used to sideline Uddhav Thackeray, a similar fate might await Shinde. Speaking to reporters about the internal disagreements, he remarked, “This dissatisfaction is an attempt to gain something in return. Shinde’s position in today’s political scenario is precarious. Is Shinde no longer needed? Just as Uddhav was sidelined to bring Shinde forward, Shinde might now be sidelined for a ‘new dawn’ in Shiv Sena.”
Explaining why Uday Samant could be the next in line, Wadettiwar added, “You may soon witness the ‘new dawn’ of Shiv Sena under Uday Samant. This possibility cannot be ruled out, as Samant has maintained good relations with both sides. His actions suggest that he is preparing for his ‘rise’.”
On the ongoing tussle over guardian minister posts, Wadettiwar said, “Looking at the current chaos, it seems like the public might put a stop to this government. There’s nothing but confusion and drama within the alliance. Despite having a strong majority, internal disagreements have grown. This competition for power and money has brought shame to Maharashtra.”
Mocking the instability in the Mahayuti alliance, Wadettiwar stated, “First, the guardian ministers were changed, then the ministers. Tomorrow, the deputy chief minister may be replaced. The day after, the chief minister might change, leading to complete chaos in Maharashtra.”
Addressing BJP leader Pankaja Munde’s dissatisfaction over not being given the Beed guardian minister post, Wadettiwar remarked, “Being upset won’t help anymore. The BJP has systematically tried to sideline OBC leaders despite coming to power with their support.”
Reacting to Minister Dhananjay Munde’s statement blaming Ajit Pawar for the BJP-NCP midnight oath ceremony, Wadettiwar said, “Why recall it now? You should’ve thought about it then. Dhananjay Munde was the first person to join Ajit Pawar during that episode.”
Highlighting BJP’s strategy, Wadettiwar said, “Looking at how BJP is maintaining ‘cordial’ relations with Shinde, it’s clear that they are preparing to fight independently in the future. The groundwork for this has already started, beginning with local body elections. Their goal is to first sideline Shinde and later Ajit Pawar, ensuring BJP achieves absolute power.”
