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Mumbai, Nov 19 (IANS) Amid the rift among Mahayuti allies over the ongoing elections to city councils and nagar panchayats, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday left for Delhi to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah to debate the Shiv Sena’s case before him.
On the other hand, Deputy Chief Minister and NCP chief Ajit Pawar along with party working president Praful Patel met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and discussed strengthening the party’s unity with the BJP in the grand alliance during the Municipal Council and Nagar Panchayat elections and the upcoming elections to 32 district councils and 29 municipal corporations.
Confirming the visit of prominent party leader and Eknath Shinde to Delhi, a minister from the Shinde camp said he is expected to discuss with the Home Minister the party’s commitment to further strengthen the Mahayuti’s position during the local and municipal elections in the state, which are being termed as mini assembly elections.
Shinde was not available for his comment.
Shinde’s visit to Delhi comes a day after Shiv Sena ministers boycotted the weekly cabinet meeting on Tuesday to express displeasure over the BJP’s strategy of wooing and nominating party leaders during the local and municipal elections.
Ministers from the Shinde faction played down their decision to skip the Cabinet meeting but did not hide their displeasure over the BJP’s aggressive move to include party functionaries, especially from its strongholds including Thane, Kalyan, Dombivali, Konkan and parts of western Maharashtra.
Ministers from the Shinde camp met the Chief Minister and complained about BJP’s efforts to bring Shiv Sena leaders into its fold. However, the Chief Minister assured him that the BJP would no longer try to include leaders of allies including Shiv Sena and NCP.
However, he brought to the notice of the ministers that it all started when Shiv Sena lured some BJP leaders for the local and civic body elections.
Meanwhile, Pawar and party working president Praful Patel met the Chief Minister and assured the party’s full support for the unity of Mahayuti.
A senior NCP leader said, “The meeting was part of the ongoing rapprochement between the BJP and the NCP and was also due to the cordial relations between the two parties. The NCP has hardly made any attempt to infiltrate the BJP and bring leaders into its fold. The NCP is very conscious of displaying unity among the grand alliance and not giving any chance to the opposition to target it during the local and civic body elections.”
The NCP minister said even if the ruling allies are unable to cooperate during the local and civic body elections, they will come together to establish Mahayuti governance after the election results.
–IANS
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