All is not well in Maharashtra ruling alliance with Eknath Shinde being upset over reduced security cover to its MLAs
Mumbai/IBNS: Just three months after a landslide victory in the Maharashtra Assembly Elections, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party-Shiv Sena-NCP alliance seems to be having a widening rift over the withdrawal of 'Y'-security cover to some MLAs.
According to reports, while the cover has been downgraded or withdrawn for MLAs across all parties, the number is maximum for the Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, which is upset over the move.
After Shinde rebelled and allied with the BJP in 2022, the Maharashtra government gave Y-security cover to 44 of its MLAs and 11 Lok Sabha MPs who had supported him.
However, as per reports, based on a security assessment, the cover has now been downgraded or withdrawn for all Shiv Sena MLAs and other leaders, including key aides of the party chief, who are not ministers.
The security has been downgraded or withdrawn for leaders from the BJP and the NCP too, but the number is highest for Shiv Sena with 20 of its leaders facing this.
Amid the row, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said decisions on security cover are taken by the Security Review Committee.
The panel reviews the security from time to time and decides accordingly.
"There is no political interference in the decisions by the committee. Therefore, no one should do politics on it," he said.
Shinde, who is reportedly still coping with the fact that he was not made the chief minister, has recently been accommodated in the State Disaster Management Authority by modifying rules after he was unhappy over being left out of it.
As chief minister, Fadnavis heads the authority while his other deputy and NCP chief Ajit Pawar is also part of it since he holds the finance portfolio.
Last week, the cabinet changed the rules of the panel to include the post of 'deputy chief minister'.
As per reports, all is not well between Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar too after the government decided not to go ahead with the appointment of NCP leader Aditi Tatkare and the BJP's Girish Mahajan as the guardian ministers of Nashik and Raigad.
From the Sena, Employment Guarantee Scheme Minister Bharatseth Gogawale and School Education Minister Dadaji Bhuse wanted to be given charge of the districts, especially since Nashik will be hosting the Kumbh Mela in 2027.
Shinde had also skipped a review meeting for the Kumbh Mela chaired by Devendra Fadnavis.
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