The audio clip controversy involving Maratha reservation leader Manoj Jarange Patil has raised questions about the future of the Mahayuti alliance as rift widens between the BJP and the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra. Jarange on Thursday released an audio clip alleging that a conspiracy was hatched to silence him and weaken the Maratha agitation.
In the clip, an unidentified woman alleges that ₹500 crore was sent to Jarange by the BJP through Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde, son of Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, just before the 2024 assembly elections.
Though both parties in the ruling coalition—the BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena—express suspicion about the clip and deny ever paying Jarange, they openly point fingers at each other.
Shiv Sena leader and former minister Ramdas Kadam made a serious allegation against a faction of the BJP, claiming they aimed to politically destroy Eknath Shinde. "Who are those within the BJP who have taken up the task of politically eliminating Eknath Shinde? Their identities should be revealed. Is the BJP becoming insecure about Shinde's growing political standing? Eknath Shinde trusted you and joined hands with you, but are you now becoming insecure about him too?" Kadam said.
He also targeted BJP MLCs Pravin Darekar and Prasad Lad, and showed photographs of Lad and Jarange Patil dining together.
Shiv Sena leader Bachchu Kadu also gave the incident a new twist. Kadu claimed that the clip has led to an attempt to defame Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and has also tarnished the image of the BJP. He has also expressed the possibility that the clip was delivered to Jarange through an office clerk. Kadu has demanded an investigation into who exactly is behind this entire matter.
However, BJP leaders have warned the Shiv Sena against making “baseless accusations without evidence.” BJP MLC Praveen Darekar hit back, saying the party would not tolerate attempts to defame its leaders without evidence. They warned Ramdas Kadam to “not behave like Sanjay Raut,” a leader of the Uddhav Thackeray faction. Lad also said that the truth would soon be revealed about who was supporting Jarange Patil from behind the scenes against Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Fadnavis has ordered a forensic investigation and said the origin of the recording and the identities of the people heard in it must be ascertained.
The Congress has called the alleged rift a gang war. Maharashtra Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal attacked the ruling Mahayuti alliance, claiming a "gang war" among its constituents. “The ruling BJP and the Shiv Sena, led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, are driven by political greed and power-sharing rather than public welfare, but will eventually join hands,” he claimed, adding that there was a lot of friction between the BJP and its allies, particularly the Shiv Sena, describing it as a "gang war."
Though there were disagreements between the Shiv Sena and the BJP over various issues, including securing political appointments, the allegations have reached a point where the alliance partners are openly against each other.
