Eye on Maharashtra polls, Eknath Shinde pitches self as Mahayuti’s CM face

MUMBAI: The Mahayuti govt in Maharashtra, steered by chief minister Eknath Shinde, completed two years in office on Sunday.
If the recent state budget and Shiv Sena's advertising campaign is anything to go by, Shinde is pitching himself as as the CM face of the Mahayuti for the state assembly polls slated for Oct, especially after Shiv Sena bagged seven seats in the Lok Sabha polls.
Political observers pointed that all new populist schemes for women, youth, farmers and communities in the state budget were named after the CM though some of them were from departments headed by BJP or NCP ministers. In addition, Sena has launched an adversting blitz with hoardings screaming 'Madaticha hath Eknath' (Eknath, the helping hand). Interestingly, his deputies Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar were not prominently featured in the Sena's hoardings. The focus was clearly on Shinde.

"Shinde is now firm in the saddle. When he managed to wrest 15 Lok Sabha seats from BJP, he had proven that he had a hotline to Delhi. Winning seven seats when BJP managed nine and Ajit Pawar's NCP only one, it is clear that Shinde is now fancying his chances for a second term at Varsha [CM's official residence]," said a political observer.
"This state budget seems to have become a branding exercise for the CM. It has a message for the voters and the alliance partners too," the observer said. "The Maha Vikas Aghadi, especially Shiv Sena (UBT), has on several occasions claimed that the Mahayuti govt won't last the term...but Shinde seems to have managed to navigate the choppy waters."
In a veiled dig at Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, Shinde on Sunday posted on Facebook: "...we are most proud of the fact that we have successfully carried the bow of maintaining the sanctity of the thoughts of Balasaheb [Thackeray], the saffron flag of Shiv Sena. In the last 2 years, we have shown that political legacy has to be proved not only by blood but by deeds."
He further posted: "Lok Sabha election results have proved that all Shiv Sena's supporters, voters have strongly supported this stand... the dispute of which is the real Shiv Sena has been resolved...I believe that the support of the people will be stronger in the coming assembly elections and once again the Mahayuti will come to power."
In response, Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray said that people were celebrating 'World Traitors Day' on Sunday. "Those who are shameless will celebrate. These are those who are cowards, thieves who have to steal parties, symbols and even fathers of others," Aaditya said.