Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s decision to stay away from Tuesday’s state Cabinet meeting and travel to Delhi has triggered fresh speculation over the political equations within the ruling Mahayuti government.
The Cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, was held at Mantralaya around noon. Shinde was not present at the meeting and left Mumbai for Delhi at around 2 pm, prompting questions about the reason behind his absence.
The development immediately led to speculation about possible differences between Shinde and the BJP leadership. However, both Shinde and the Bharatiya Janata Party have rejected suggestions that the Shiv Sena leader is unhappy with the functioning of the state government.
Why did Eknath Shinde travel to Delhi?
Shinde said his visit to the national capital was connected to organisational and legal matters involving the Shiv Sena.
According to his explanation, he was scheduled to meet state unit chiefs of the Shiv Sena from different parts of the country. He was also expected to meet his legal team over the ongoing Supreme Court proceedings related to the party’s election symbol and competing claims over the Shiv Sena.
The explanation came after his absence from the Cabinet meeting became a subject of discussion in Maharashtra’s political circles.
Shinde denies differences with BJP
Shinde has maintained that his Delhi trip should not be linked to any disagreement within the Maharashtra government. His clarification came amid growing speculation that his absence from the Cabinet meeting could indicate tensions between the Shiv Sena and BJP.
The Deputy Chief Minister’s statement sought to dismiss reports that he had travelled to Delhi because of dissatisfaction with Chief Minister Fadnavis or the BJP leadership.
BJP backs Shinde’s explanation
The BJP has also played down the political speculation surrounding Shinde’s absence. The party said the Deputy Chief Minister already had engagements in Delhi, explaining why he could not attend the Cabinet meeting.
The BJP has denied any suggestion of internal discord and maintained that there is no indication of dissatisfaction within the ruling alliance.
For now, there is no confirmed evidence of a fresh political dispute between Shinde and the BJP. However, given the close attention paid to the BJP-Shiv Sena power-sharing arrangement in Maharashtra, Shinde’s absence from an important Cabinet meeting followed by his Delhi visit has generated considerable political interest.
