Less than three months after it won the Maharashtra elections by a landslide, the rift within the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP alliance seems to be widening with the withdrawal of 'Y'-security cover to some MLAs emerging as the latest flashpoint. Sources said that while the cover has been downgraded or withdrawn for legislators from all parties, the number is highest for the Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, which is upset over the move.
After Mr Shinde rebelled and joined hands with the BJP in 2022, the Maharashtra government had given Y-security cover to 44 state legislators and 11 Lok Sabha MPs who had supported him. Sources said that, based on a security assessment, the cover has now been downgraded or withdrawn for all Shiv Sena MLAs and other leaders, including key aides of the party chief, who are not ministers.
Sources said the cover has been downgraded or withdrawn for leaders from the BJP and the NCP as well, but the leaders affected from the Sena are reportedly 20 - the highest, by far, of the three parties.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, however, said decisions on security cover are taken by the Security Review Committee. The panel reviews the security from time to time and decides accordingly. "There is no political interference in the decisions by the committee. Therefore, no one should do politics on it," he said.
Mr Shinde, who is reportedly still smarting from being denied the chief minister's post and over the unresolved issue of the appointment of the Raigad and Nashik guardian ministers, had recently been accommodated in the State Disaster Management Authority by modifying rules after he was unhappy over being left out of it. As chief minister, Mr Fadnavis heads the authority while his other deputy and NCP chief Ajit Pawar is also part of it because he holds the finance portfolio.
Last week, the cabinet changed the rules of the panel to include the post of 'deputy chief minister'.
All is reportedly not well between Mr Shinde and Mr Pawar either since the government decided not to go ahead with the appointment of NCP leader Aditi Tatkare and the BJP's Girish Mahajan as the guardian ministers of Nashik and Raigad. From the Sena, Employment Guarantee Scheme Minister Bharatseth Gogawale and School Education Minister Dadaji Bhuse wanted to be given charge of the districts, especially because Nashik will be hosting the Kumbh Mela in 2027.
Mr Shinde had also skipped a review meeting for the Kumbh Mela chaired by Devendra Fadnavis and held one of his own a few days later.
'No Resentment'
Taking a dig at the perceived troubles of the ruling alliance, also known as the Mahayuti, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi wrote on X, "Mahayuti celebrating valentine month. Not."
Maharashtra IT Minister and BJP leader Ashish Shelar insisted that there are no differences within the alliance.
"There is no resentment, everything is going well in Mahayuti, all this is just a pipe dream. Chief Minister Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Ministers Shinde and Pawar are running the government together," he said.
