The Advertisement Fiasco….
After a long time Maharashtra’s progress is looking upwards and it is only because of the efforts CM Eknath Shinde and DCM Devendra Fadnavis are taking for the past 10 months or so. Very soon, this government will complete a year. But readers when any Government works in coalition, it is a no brainer that there are sparks bound to fly; time and again it has been proven. Few of these don’t reach us, but few of them do create flutters. This Shinde-Fadnavis government too, is no exception to this rule. You can have differences, but to make the world watch it, is a big NO NO! Say it or not, accept it or not, my dear friends, the advertisements that appeared on almost every print form in Maharashtra last week surely set all tongues wagging. Initially, reports of Fadnavis not being happy with Shinde’s style of functioning were treated as rumours, but the advertisement fiasco surely set tongues wagging. But then after a lot discussions, heart pouring to each other and few strict calls to the CM from Delhi, hearts met yet again and at an event in Palghar both CM and Fadnavis appeared together in a helicopter (Hope DF’s sinus is OK ☺️) and CM Shinde even referred in his speech that he and Fadnavis are like Jai-Veeru of the movie Sholay. But then didn’t Jai die at the end of the movie for his friend Veeru, just asking…
A meeting happened last week at Sahyadri Guest house between CM Eknath Shinde, DCM Devendra Fadnavis and MP Dr. Shrikant Shinde. A matured plan was chalked out and if my sources are correct Shinde’s are asked to do away with their favourite advertising agency. I have even heard that HM Amit Shah too had a word with CM Shinde and the telephone call was not a pleasant one for CM Shinde. If you ask me why did the Shivsena did this, I would say, a message had to be sent out to the BJPians that do not take us (shivsena) for granted as it happened from 2014-2019.
For me it all began with a statement of BJP State President Chandrashekhar Bawankule announcing that the BJP will fight 40 seats for the upcoming Loksabha. Then to add more salt to the wound, a news item made rounds that Shivsena’s 4 to 5 Ministers will be ‘dropped’ owing to their non-performance and corruption. Final nail in the coffin was that a section of the BJP not wanting Dr Shrikant Shinde for the candidature as an MP candidate for which Shrikant came out in public and showed a bigger heart saying he will sacrifice his seat if it is in the ‘interest’ of the Shiv Sena and BJP alliance.
It is not the DNA of Shivsena to take anything lying down, even though this Shivsena is free from “Thackeray’s.” I knew that such news items were hampering Shivsena and it was about time for the father-son duo to strike back. The clout of Shiv Sena had to be shown! But then, the plan of advertisment was a dud idea, and to top it off, advisors who are as cunning as foxes around the CM and his son, did not leave any stone unturned to make both of them look bad. And it happened. 13th June, the advertisement showing Eknath Shinde as the preferred face as the next Chief Minister of Maharashtra than Devendra Fadnavis, appeared all over the print media. Neither Devendra Fadnavis took it well nor Delhi!
We all have to understand that it was a daring decision for Eknath Shinde to part ways from Uddhav Thackeray and not to forget the sacrifice Devendra Fadnavis had to make, that Eknath Shinde is the Chief Minister of Maharashtra today. I will not call him lucky because every single day CM Shinde is proving his mettle for the top post in the eyes of the BJP and people of Maharashtra right with his sheer hard work. But then to think that “I am invincible” is a bit too much to expect and that too to underestimate the one’s sitting at Delhi and as a matter of fact even Devendra Fadnavis, is a bit far-fetched. This is the BJP. For your record, two MP’s of the BJP from Maharashtra are under ED lens; they don’t even spare their own, however small the mistake is.
From what I have heard, not all is well between Dr Shrikant Shinde is an MP and the entire Thane unit of the BJP. It is foolish also for the BJP if they are even thinking of replacing Dr Shrikant Shinde with some other name in the upcoming Loksabha elections. Mind you, Thane-Kalyan-Dombivali is Eknath Shinde’s bastion. And, Dr Shrikant Shinde’s performance too is excellent as an MP there since 2014. Not denying any of his hard work. I feel Ravindra (Ravi) Chavan and the Thane unit of the BJP along with Fadnavis and Eknath Shinde and Dr Shrikant should have one coffee together and both the CM and DCM should resolve whatever small issues that are there between these two. The reason I am saying this is because there are the likes of Dr Jitendra Awhad who is waiting for one mistake to happen in Thane and he will pounce upon the opportunity to tarnish the otherwise flourishing career of Dr. Shrikant Shinde and in turn of the Chief Minister.
Long back when this Shinde-Fadnavis government had formed, I had written a letter to Dr Shrikant Shinde (through my blog) that please don’t be another Aaditya Thackeray in making. When Aditya was handling the state both he and his father suffered major jolts in their careers just because of the companies they kept as advisors, friends or staff. Dr Shrikant Shinde did adhere to the advice for a long time, but now I am hearing otherwise. I am again advising you friends, Devendra Fadnavis, Amit Shah and PM Modi are all watching. Don’t take their silence as weakness. Ekanth Shinde has got a once in a lifetime opportunity, and he is the next CM candidate too for Maharashtra in 2024, don’t let ego come in this relationship. Fadnavis and Maharashtra, really adores CM Eknath Shinde.
Vikrant Hemant Joshi.
