The absence of Ajit Pawar at the Maharashtra cabinet meeting on October 3 and the subsequent trip to Delhi by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has once again brought to fore Ajit's uneasiness in the three-party coalition government.
He said he was suffering from sore throat and infection. He did not attend his own group’s meeting, too, which was held at his official bungalow, Devagiri. But that has not stopped the murmurs about his unhappiness.
Ajit Pawar is said to have demanded more cabinet berths for his colleagues in the long-awaited cabinet expansion, and also guardian ministership to key districts like Pune, Satara, Sangli and Kolhapur. He is especially keen on being the guardian minister of Pune - his home turf and favourite district. BJP minister Chandrakant Patil is currently officiating as Pune’s guardian minister.
But, are these the only reasons for his unhappiness? It is important to note here that during the Ganesh festival, Ajit Pawar went to seek the deity's blessings at Fadnavis's residence - Sagar bungalow - but did not go to the CM's residence - Varsha bungalow.
Ajit Pawar is a seasoned politician. When he joined hands with the BJP once again few months ago, he knew that this time it is going to be either do-or-die for him. He is aware that he and his colleagues have reached the point of no return as far as working under Sharad Pawar’s leadership is concerned.
So, his absence at the cabinet meeting is a signal of sorts that he is not happy with the way things are going in Maharashtra. The cabinet meeting yesterday was crucial primarily because of the deaths at the Nanded and Sambhaji Nagar (erstwhile Aurangabad) government hospitals. The issue did come up for discussion.
A cabinet minister told a select group of journalists last week that there is hardly any discussion in the cabinet meetings and only 3-4 people do the talking. Three of them being Shinde, Fadnavis and Pawar.
While the MVA called Ajit Pawar’s absence a failure of one engine in the triple engine government, remarks by his cousin Supriya Sule, NCP MP from Baramati, were more biting. “So, the signs of trouble in the new marriage are already there even before honeymoon is over.”
