Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra Eknath Shinde is reportedly upset over the allocation of key portfolios. Ahead of the Cabinet expansion in the Mahayuti government, Shinde skipped his visit to New Delhi on December 11 while Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar arrived in the national capital.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) may retain the Home Department, which has been a bone of contention with the Shiv Sena. Shinde has been keen on securing the Home Ministry since agreeing to take the oath as Deputy Chief Minister in the new government.

The Cabinet expansion in Maharashtra is likely to take place on December 16. The government can have 43 ministries, including the CM. According to reports, all three parties in the Mahayuti — the BJP, the Shiv Sena and the NCP — are driving hard bargains.

A formal meeting of the three leaders — Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Ministers Shinde and Ajit Pawar — was scheduled in Delhi on Wednesday, according to sources. The meeting would formalise the portfolio allocation. But Shinde decided to stay back, according to reports.

“The Shiv Sena believes the BJP is systematically working to downsize its powers within the government. They are not only denying Shinde the Home ministry but also not agreeing for Revenue, Industries and Housing portfolios sought by the party in the new government,” a Shiv Sena leader was quoted as saying by Indian Express.

The Indian Express report said the Shiv Sena believes the BJP and NCP are working in tandem to undermine its powers in the Mahayuti government.

Eknath Shinde Upset?

Shinde is also reportedly upset by the NCP’s claim to the Housing portfolio. The Housing ministry was with the BJP in the last Mahayuti government.

BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis was sworn in as chief minister of Maharashtra for the third term during a mega oath-taking ceremony at Mumbai’s historic Azad Maidan on December 5. ShindePrime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP’s top brass.

BJP, the single-largest party with 132 MLAs, is expected to get 20 departments. According to reports, the Shiv Sena and NCP will each have ten ministries.

The Shiv Sena believes the BJP is systematically working to downsize its powers within the government.

The BJP will keep the Home Ministry while PWD (Public Works Department) and UD (Urban Development) may go to the Shinde camp. Ajit Pawar is likely to retain the Finance portfolio, the reports said.

Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday addressed the first press conference after taking oath as Chief Minister of Maharshtra for the third time and said that their government will work for the development of state, adding that the direction and speed of work will be same.

While Fadnavis took oath as CM, Shiv Sena Chief Eknath Shinde and NCP Chief Ajit Pawar took oath as Deputy CMs.

“In the last 2.5 years, we have worked for the development of Maharashtra, and from here too, we will work for the development of Maharashtra. We will not stop now,” said Fadnavis.

The Chief Minister added that Maharashtra will continue path of development in the social, infrastructure, and industrial sectors with speed.

“We will take decisions for the betterment of Maharashtra. We want to complete the works that we mentioned in our manifesto.”

Big expectation, big challenge

The Chief Minister said that when expectations are big, the challenge is also big. “As people have expectations, definitely there is pressure on me.”

Fadnavis on fiscal dicipline

As far as the question of fiscal discipline is concerned, we will definitely have to work on it, because we have made a very ambitious plan.

On Delay in government formation

Citing the 2009 government formation when it took nine days, Fadnavis said that there was no delay in government formation, saying one has to understand that when there is a coalition government, many decisions have to be taken.

“In a coalition government, consultation has to be done on a very large scale. We have done that consultation, and we have almost finalized the portfolio as well.”

Ladki Bahin Scheme

The Chief Minister said that the government will continue the ‘Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana’.

Special session

Maharashtra Assembly Speaker will soon be elected as the Cabinet has decided to hold a special session on December 7-8. The governor will address on December 9.

On Cabinet expansion

Who will get what ministry will be decided by Mahayuti alliance partner — BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP — and it is in the final stage. “The work of the ministers in the previous government is being assessed and further decision will be taken on that basis.”

Fadnavis signs first file

Devendra Fadnavis signed the first file to give ₹5 lakh assistance from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund to a patient from Pune for bone marrow transplant treatment.

Maharashtra: Even as the clock ticks down to Devendra Fadnavis’ swearing-in ceremony as Maharashtra’s Chief Minister, the suspense continues to build over whether key Mahayuti leader and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde will accept the Deputy CM post.

Over the last two days, media reports suggested that Shinde, the outgoing Chief Minister, has agreed to take the Deputy CM’s post following a meeting with Devendra Fadnavis at ‘Varsha’, the official residence of the caretaker CM in Mumbai.

However, with Shinde yet to reveal his final decision, Shiv Sena leaders have decided they won’t take any responsibility in the new government unless Shinde accepts the Deputy CM post.

“If Eknath Shinde doesn’t accept the Deputy CM post, no Shiv Sena MLA will accept any responsibility in the new govt,” said party leader Uday Samant.

Another Shiv Sena leader, Sanjay Shirsat, said that they believe that Eknath Shinde will listen to their request, and he will take oath as Deputy CM.

“He is our leader, and we want him to take the oath as Deputy CM…we are all going to (meet) Eknath Shinde. We will convince and get him ready for the oath-taking.”

Whereas, party leader Deepak Kesarkar said that party MLAs also requested him to be a part of the Maharashtra cabinet to take the post of Deputy CM during their meeting on Wednesday evening.

“He said that he would consider it positively and he (Eknath Shinde) always listens to PM Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. If a message comes from there, it will be very good and he will always consider their decision. Even Devendra Fadnavis accepted the post of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister after the central leadership of BJP insisted (in 2022). Our parties are different but principles and ideologies are the same,” said Kesarkar.

The Sena leader added that cabinet expansion should take place before the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.

Devendra Fadnavis is all set to assume the role of Chief Minister after taking oath today evening. 

Ajit Pawar has also confirmed that he will take oath as Deputy Chief Minister in the new government.

The oath-taking ceremony will take place at Azad Maidan in Mumbai at 5.30 pm in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other ministers.

Maharashtra CM swearing-in ceremony: Shiv Sena chief and Maharashtra’s caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who had been reportedly upset after the Mahayuti leaders’ meeting in Delhi, has agreed to serve as Deputy CM in the BJP-led Mahayuti government, reports say.

The development comes as BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis, who is the top choice for the CM post, met Shinde at his official residence, Varsha, in south Mumbai after the Sena chief returned from a private hospital after health check-up.

Eknath Shinde has agreed to take the post of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister, reported News18 as well as India Today, quoting sources.

However, the Shiv Sena on Monday said the home portfolio should be given to it if the BJP got the CM post.

The BJP has already announced that the oath-taking ceremony will take place on December 5 at Azad Maidan. But it is not known who will take oath along with the chief minister.

Fadnavis top choice for CM post

Fadnavis, a two-time former chief minister, is widely seen as the likely candidate for the top post. The BJP has named Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani as central observers for the Wednesday morning meeting where the state legislature party leader will be elected.

Meanwhile, speaking to ANI, Vijay Rupani said, “We will discuss with everyone tomorrow, and after that, it will be finalised. We will take everyone’s opinion in the legislature party meeting tomorrow.”

Preparations underway

Preparations are in full swing at Azad Maidan for the swearing-in ceremony of the new Mahayuti government. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to attend the event. Several central ministers, governors and key central BJP office-bearers are also expected to be present.

Seats Mahayuti won

The saffron party recorded its best-ever electoral performance by winning 132 seats in the 288-member Maharashtra legislative assembly in the November 20 elections. The Mahayuti coalition that includes Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party won a total of 230 seats.

With a budgetary allocation of ₹46,000 crore this year, Ladki Bahin Yojana is the centrepiece in a host of populist cash transfer and welfare schemes offered by chief minister Eknath Shinde’s Mahayuti government in its bid to return to power when the state goes to the polls on Wednesday. The Mahayuti comprises the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Shiv Sena (SS) and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

Launched just months before the election, it is similar to the Ladli Bahna Yojana in Madhya Pradesh, which helped the incumbent BJP win the state election last winter. But it is not the only scheme being offered in Maharashtra.

In the last few months, the ruling coalition has announced a series of other sops and schemes, including waiving of electricity costs for agriculture pumps up to 7.5 horsepower capacity, training and stipend for youth, free pilgrimages for senior citizens, and even a toll waiver on light vehicles at five entry points to Mumbai. Some estimates put the annual allocation for such schemes upwards of ₹96,000 crore.

Not to be outdone, the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), too, has promised enhanced monthly financial aid for women, electricity for the poor, subsidized gas cylinders, as well as farm debt waivers in its manifesto. The MVA comprises the Congress, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) and NCP Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP).

Maharashtra is a politically crucial state, with the second highest number of parliamentary seats in the country. The assembly election in the state comes just months after the Lok Sabha polls, where the Congress-led MVA won more seats than the BJP-led Mahayuti. This is the first state election since Maharashtra’s two key regional parties—the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Shiv Sena (SS)—split.

Maharashtra is the biggest contributor to India’s GDP (gross domestic product). Historically, cutting across party lines, farm loan waivers and farm power bill waivers have been a recurring theme in the state’s political landscape. But experts say the scale of the populist pitch in this state election is breathtaking.

These populist schemes (and promises) come at a time when the state is steeped in massive debt and red flags have been raised by the finance department on the profligate spending on sops as well as infrastructure projects.

Voters in India’s second most populous state say inflation, unemployment and rural distress are key electoral issues and are divided over whether the competitive populism will influence their voting choices. Experts feel that while such populism will help mobilize voters, it does not necessarily guarantee a win.

Women voters

On a hot November afternoon, eight women in their late thirties sit and chat at a neighbour’s home in a densely populated slum in Mumbai’s Sakinaka locality. All except one are beneficiaries of the Ladki scheme. Three of them also received a household utensil set in the runup to the elections from the domestic workers welfare board. They all have varied views on the scheme.

Vandana Prakash Gaekwad, a domestic worker who first found out about the scheme from a YouTube reel, said she feels it will be stopped after the election. Manisha Gaekwad, a housewife, said that she would prefer to see the scheme stopped if in return the government reduces the cost of everyday items such as vegetables and groceries. And Samta Wahul said that “women are smarter than politicians think” and will keep several factors in mind while getting their fingers inked.

There are 4.66 crore women voters in Maharashtra (and 4.97 crore men). Of them, more than 2.34 crore women are already beneficiaries of the scheme. If it returns to power, the Mahayuti has pledged to increase the monthly assistance under the scheme to ₹2,100. Other women-specific schemes introduced in this summer’s state budget include pink e-rickshaws (under which 10,000 women in 17 cities will be financed to buy rickshaws), equipment for health sub-centres for breast and cervical cancer screening, a startup scheme for small entrepreneurs, and three free gas cylinders.

Most of the women voters Mint spoke to highlighted how rising inflation had made it difficult to run households and questioned why the ruling alliance waited till a few months before the election to announce the Ladki scheme.

Keshav Upadhye, the Maharashtra BJP’s chief spokesperson, said that it was unfair to link the scheme with elections because it has been five months since it was first announced. “This scheme has brought about a big change on the ground, especially in rural areas. Women feel self-reliant as they have been using this money to do something of their own,” he told Mint.

In response to a question on concerns over the stress on the state’s finances, Upadhye said these schemes should not be viewed as a “financial burden” and said each state has its own financial situation within which such calls are taken.

An increase in women’s political participation in the last decade has meant that political parties, especially the Congress and BJP, have eyed their votes. In the past, gender-targeted schemes have helped parties win elections. Examples include prohibition for the Janata Dal (United) in Bihar, Mission Shakti for the Biju Janata Dal in Odisha, and subsidized gas cylinders under the Ujjawala Yojana for the BJP nationally.

Prithviraj Chavan, a former Maharashtra chief minister and chief of the Congress’ manifesto committee in the state, gave a spirited defence of the party’s proposed cash transfer scheme for women. “There is evidence in international economic theories on universal basic income about how direct cash transfers help women. We promised the same in Karnataka and Telangana and it has helped women a lot,” he told Mint.

“There can always be an argument over where the money is going to come from. But money must be found and must be spent where absolutely needed,” Chavan added.

Inflation, unemployment woes

Several low-income voters, especially informal workers, domestic workers, farmers and fisherfolk, spoke about the introduction of schemes such as Ladki in conjunction with rising inflation, rural distress, and lack of regular employment opportunities. A constant refrain was that the modest financial gain through these schemes is soon offset by high spending on everyday items and services.

Vishnu Laxman Vartha, a 62-year-old farmer from Vire village in Dahanu taluka near Palghar, said that farmers have borne the brunt of rising input costs. “We are not asking for free seeds or free electricity. We simply say: give us a good subsidy on fertilizers and ensure constant electricity supply,” he said.

Sitting on their home’s porch, his younger sister-in-law, Hiroo Chandrakant Vartha, 45, quipped that in remote villages like theirs, getting access to basic facilities and government schemes is a challenge. “This challenge gets compounded when everything from vegetables to vegetable oil is costly,” she added.

Several people from villages near Palghar (including Vire and Ranshet) and near Uran (Hanuman Koliwada (Sheva) and Gavhan Koliwada) told Mint that young men prefer migrating to Mumbai and Navi Mumbai in search of work.

However, concerns over inflation and lack of regular employment resonated in urban areas as well. Ram Kishan Khillare, a 42-year-old construction worker in Navi Mumbai’s Belapur, migrated from his hometown Hingoli decades ago. Every morning, he along with hundreds of others stands at a labour chowk to find work. In a good month, he said, there are 12-14 days of work, at a daily wage of ₹600.

“We have got a one-time safety kit and a household utensil kit from our board. It helps, but it is not critical to our jobs. We need more jobs, regularisation of work and effective medical assistance,” Khillare added.

A survey by MIT-SOG-CSDS-Lokniti (MIT School of Government and Centre for the Study of Developing Societies) published in The Hindu newspaper last month showed that 24% of voters in the state identified unemployment as their primary issue, while 22% cited inflation.

To address unemployment, the state government has launched a Ladka Bhau Yojana under which 10 lakh youths will be trained annually with a monthly stipend of up to ₹10,000. The annual expenditure on this scheme is ₹10,000 crore. The MVA, too, has promised a ₹4,000 monthly allowance to educated youths if it gets voted to power.

Neeraj Hatekar, an economist from Maharashtra, said that unlike loan waivers, direct cash transfer schemes require regular committed expenditure by governments. The MVA has promised a farm loan waiver of up to ₹3 lakh in its manifesto, while the Mahayuti has pledged to increase existing financial assistance to farmers.

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“The kind of debt profile that we are in, it all comes down to where the resources are being used. And right now, rural infrastructure should be the priority,” he said, adding that the state has not been able to provide effective basic services such as health and education.

News reports peg Maharashtra’s total debt burden at ₹7.11 trillion while its fiscal deficit has crossed the ₹2 trillion mark. Last month, deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, who also holds the finance portfolio, justified overruling concerns raised by the state’s finance department.

According to Hatekar, such schemes amount to “official buying of votes” and could only offer marginal political returns as other factors, such as caste, religion, local candidates etc, could override populism.

Electoral stakes

Along with Maharashtra, the Jharkhand assembly election is also being held this month. In that state, too, both the ruling coalition led by the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), and the opposition BJP are banking on a slew of populist promises to win. Counting will take place on 23 November in both states. The stakes are high for both the national parties as well as regional players in the two polls.

Sanjay Kumar, political analyst and co-director of Lokniti, a research institute, said that political parties are ‘mistaken’ if they believe that they can win elections only on populist schemes.

“Populist schemes and promises help political parties mobilize voters but they cannot ensure a victory. At the same time, they do no harm either,” said Kumar. “So, it comes down to what is the degree of benefit. I think the benefit is far less compared to what we or political parties generally tend to believe.”

He added that surveys show there is usually a tilt among beneficiaries in favour of ruling parties. “But that does not mean, all of them will vote for incumbents; some also vote for the opposition. Non-beneficiaries voting for incumbents is also sizable,” he added.

In Mumbai, voters are divided over the impact of such policies on their lives and on the election outcome. Anita Navnath Mane, a beneficiary who is a sweeper with the municipal corporation, feels that the Mahayuti government deserves her vote because of the steps they have taken for women. “I am a single mother and the money under Ladki Bahin scheme came just when my daughter fell ill. I could use the money for medical expenses,” she said.

But Sunil Bendre, a 43-year-old auto driver from Bhandup, whose wife is a Ladki beneficiary, said that everyday life for his family in the metropolis is difficult because of how costly things are. “You tell me: ₹1,500 a month comes down to ₹50 a day. What do you get in Mumbai for that amount? Maybe four vada pavs from a cart. That is not even food for one day, for one person,” he said.

Anuja, an independent journalist based in Delhi, writes on politics and policy