The message Eknath Shinde sent out in his first speech as CM

© Provided by India Today On July 4, Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde proved his majority in the legislative assembly. He secured 164 votes in his favour, against 99 for the opposition in the House of 277. Three members abstained while 20 were absent including 11 from the Congress. Speaker Rahul Narwekar too did not vote since it was not a tie. Senior Congress leaders Ashok Chavan and Vijay Wadettiwar were stopped outside the House as they reached after the doors were closed.

In his thanksgiving speech, Shinde rubbed a little salt into the wounds of his predecessor Uddhav Thackeray. Shinde named Thackeray only once (“Uddhav saheb”) and referred to him in the third person the rest of the time while justifying the decision to break away from the first family of the Shiv Sena. “I had told him five times that we should join hands with the BJP as they are our natural ally,” Shinde said. “He himself had said that Maharashtra lost 15 years because of the Congress-NCP rule. Then tell me how it was possible for me to sit with you,” Shinde said while looking at NCP leader Ajit Pawar, the new leader of the opposition.

Shinde explained how he worked tirelessly for the growth of the Shiv Sena. “We were in the power but the Shiv Sena workers faced unwarranted police cases. The Sainiks did not get any benefit from being in power. I am not a traitor. I did not revolt. What we did is a mutiny.”

Shinde elaborated on how Uddhav spoiled his chances to become chief minister after the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) was formed in association with the NCP and Congress. “Ajit Pawar had told me that no one had an objection to me becoming the CM but he (Thackeray) got the chair. I didn’t complain. I continued my work for the people,” Shinde said.

The CM’s first speech also indicated that he would damage the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction further. He also tried to connect with Shiv Sena workers by recalling incidents when he had faced police action for implementing the orders of Shiv Sena founder, the late Bal Thackeray.

The CM also had fulsome praise for his deputy Devendra Fadnavis, calling the BJP leader the “kalakaar” (master) who shaped the new government. Shinde stopped thrice in his speech to ask Fadnavis, who was sitting nearby, whether he should reveal the inner details of what happened in the 11 days that led to the change in government.

In all this, Shinde has made his intentions clear. “He (Thackeray) is also on our side at heart. You (the opposition) have engaged us in legal matters. Let the legal case get over, I will start working on that (changing Thackeray’s heart) too.” Meanwhile, Shinde has managed to get one more MLA from the Thackeray camp, Santosh Bangar, into his fold. “Five-six more are willing to join,” he said sending a message to the Thackeray camp.

According to a BJP MLA, Shinde has signaled that he would work in tandem with the BJP. The CM has predicted that the BJP and Shiv Sena (Shinde camp) will jointly win 200 seats in the next assembly election. On the evidence of his first speech, Shinde looked like a team man, who wanted to take everyone along. It will be interesting to see if he can match up to his own expectations.

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