Pune: A new fault line emerged between Mahayuti partners Shiv Sena and NCP after chief minister Eknath Shinde‘s supporters from Baramati covered deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar‘s cutouts with a black cloth on Tuesday.
They claimed that they were upset about Pawar not turning up for a Ganeshotsav event organised by Shinde’s supporters in Baramati.
Tempers ran high after Ajit Pawar‘s supporters objected to their action and the Baramati police detained some people to avoid any escalation.
Shiv Sena office-bearer Surendra Jeware from Baramati had organised ‘Eknath Ganesh festival’ in Baramati’s Sharda Prangan near Bhigwan Chowk.
Jeware said he invited Ajit Pawar to the event since it was in his home town. He installed huge cutouts of Shinde and Pawar at the entry of the venue anticipating the visit.
“I had made several requests to Ajit Pawar to visit the festival as it was organised by a Mahayuti partner. Despite being in Baramati and visiting other Ganesh pandals, he did not attend ours. His wife and Rajya Sabha member Sunetra Pawar and their sons did not show up either. We felt that it was an insult to our leader, Eknath Shinde, that Ajit Dada thought it not important to visit a Shiv Sena event. Hence, we covered Ajit Pawar’s cutouts with a black cloth in protest,” Jeware added.
Their action led local NCP members to gather near Bhigwan Chowk and protest. Later, Baramati Municipal Council removed all the posters and banners installed near Sharda Prangan.
Tensions between the two alliance partners have been simmering for a while now. Earlier, the BJP in Baramati had not included Ajit Pawar’s photo on a banner promoting govt’s Mukhyamantri Mazhi Ladki Bahin Yojana.
Shiv Sena ministers in a cabinet meeting objected to NCP’s campaign where it removed ‘Mukhyamantri’ from the scheme’s name and replaced it with ‘Ajitdada’s Ladki Bahin’.
Relations between Shiv Sena and NCP turned sour after Sena minister Tanaji Sawant’s controversial remarks against NCP claiming that he feels like vomiting after sitting next to NCP ministers in cabinet meetings. NCP members threatened to exit the alliance in protest.