MUMBAI: The cold war between CM Devendra Fadnavis and deputy CM Eknath Shinde took a new turn Monday with the home department held by the CM downgrading security cover for over 20 Shiv Sena MLAs who are not ministers from Y+ category to just one constable and withdrawing cover given to some other Sena netas.
In a balancing act of sorts, the home department simultaneously withdrew cover provided to a few BJP and Ajit Pawar-led NCP politicians. But the number of Sena netas whose security stands either slashed or withdrawn is far greater.
In another instance of oneupmanship between partners in the Mahayuti govt, Shinde on Monday held a review meeting of the industries department held by Sena’s Uday Samant though Fadnavis had held a review meet in Jan. Shinde’s review came days after Samant had in a letter said department officials were not keeping him in the loop about key policies.
The BJP-Sena standoff – which began over guardian minister posts for Raigad and Nashik, an issue still unresolved – has extended to other areas of control.
Last month, Shinde skipped a meeting of Nashik Metropolitan Regional Development Authority called by Fadnavis on preparations for Kumbh Mela in 2027 and later held his own review meet on the subject. Recently, Shinde set up a Deputy CM’s Medical Aid Cell in Mantralaya and appointed his close aide as its head – the first time a deputy CM has set up such a cell even as the CM’s Relief Fund Cell is in place.
Similarly, Shinde was also excluded from Maharashtra Disaster Management Authority when Fadnavis was named its head; two days later, rules were tweaked to include Shinde. And a bureaucrat was appointed MSRTC chairperson though it is in recent times the transport minister (now belonging to Sena) who has been holding the post.
Officials said review meetings of the same departments by the CM and the deputy CM caused duplication. “Technically, the deputy CM has no special powers in addition to those of a cabinet minister. Shinde is holding review meetings but all final policy decisions will be taken by the CM, and all files will need hihs approval. So beyond a status update, the deputy CM’s review meeting has no real meaning,” said an ex-bureaucrat. Political observers said Shinde’s meetings were more to do with optics.
In the home department order on Monday, most cabinet members have been granted Y+ category cover, along with escort vehicles.
Fadnavis confirmed to TOI that security cover had been lowered for several netas. A BJP functionary said “The threat perception committee took a realistic review of cover for not only politicians but for apolitical people too, and on its recommendation, cover was lowered.”
In Oct 2022, a few months after Shinde became CM after his rebellion against Uddhav Thackeray, Y-security cover with escort vehicles was provided to 44 legislators and 11 Lok Sabha members who had joined him. After last year’s Lok Sabha and assembly elections, the “categorised” cover was continued though many MPs and MLAs were defeated in the elections. Now, except for ministers, cover for all legislators has been downgraded while that for ex-MPs has been withdrawn.
The BJP functionary said among those whose cover had been withdrawn were state BJP working president Ravindra Chavan, CM’s trusted aide Pravin Darekar, ex-minister Suresh Khade (BJP), Gadchiroli legislator Deorao Holi (BJP), Nanded legislator Pratap Patil Chikhalikar (NCP), independent MLA Ravi Rana and social activist Krishna Gajbe. Similarly, cover given to ex-ministers Dilip Walse Patil (NCP), and Deepak Kesarkar and Ramdas Kadam, both aides of Shinde, had been withdrawn.
Governor C P Radhakrishanan, Fadnavis, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar, and the two deputy CMs will continue to have the highest Z-plus cover. While Aaditya Thackeray and Milind Parande, international general secretary, VHP, have been granted Z cover, MNS president Raj Thackeray has got Y+ with escort vehicle. Members of the Ambani family too were granted categorized security on the basis of payment, as were members of the CM’s family, NCP working president Supriya Sule, Sharad Pawar’s wife Pratibha Pawar, actors Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, and Salman Khan, and ex-police chief Julio Rebeiro.