Unmesh Gujarathi
Sprouts Brand Story

Senior BJP leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah is being viewed as the contender for the PM post, followed by UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who are the aspirants for the top post.
 
The common people are not interested to know who will be the successor of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and they do not consider this issue as important and urgent. However, the race for the top post has already begun in the last 3-4 years.
 
The Hindu masses consider Yogi Adityanath as the right candidate for the top post. Yogi Adityanath carries a tremendous amount of goodwill and support. However, BJP’s top leadership has been ensuring that his presence is not felt outside Uttar Pradesh.
 
In Maharashtra, the BJP loyalists find Devendra Fadnavis as the right candidate for the prime ministership. However repeated attempts are being made by BJP leadership to cut him to size.
 
Till now over 40 Shiv Sena MLAs have rebelled and the remaining 10 are on their way to join the rebel Eknath Shinde camp. Fadnavis has played a major role in this defection. As against this Shinde’s clout is limited. He would not have been able to ensure defection on such a large scale but for the support extended by Fadnavis backed by Narendra Modi and Amit Shah using the weapon of the Enforcement Directorate.
 
 The Shinde-Fadnavis Government was formed in Maharashtra, in which Shah compelled Fadnavis to accept the DCM’s post. Although this action is decorated with adjectives like Fadnavis’s ‘sacrifice’, it is an attempt to reign in the growing ambition of Fadnavis.
 
 It is clear that when the leaders like Yogi Adityanath, Devendra Fadnavis, Nitin Gadkari, and Shivraj Singh Chauhan dream of ascending the national ladder, their wings are clipped by Modi and Shah immediately and their career is given a break.
 
Although Fadnavis does not exhibit the ignominy he suffered, it is certain that he is frustrated after accepting the DCM’s post. Now how Fadnavis plays his cards will be clear in the ensuing BMC election.  
 
︎ The BMC is the richest civic corporation in the country whose Fixed Deposits alone are above Rs. 82,410 crores. Compared to this, the annual budget of a state like Goa is not more than Rs 40 crore. The Goa government is not even half of the BMC in size in terms of financial transactions.
 
 The BMC is under the control of the Shiv Sena for the last 30 years. The saffron party gets its fund supply from the BMC and the party has also been accused of corruption. The BMC has been eyeing the BMC for a long and now BJP under Amit Shah’s direction wants to wrest control of Mumbai’s corporation. Shah who wants a larger share is planning to win the ensuing BMC election come what may.
 
However barring a few exceptions, most of the Shiv Sena corporators are loyal to “Matoshree” and they are not prepared to defect. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will not be able to engineer defections since his might is limited to Thane and he is not much known outside the Thane district.
 
︎ As such to engineer defections in the Shiv Sena camp, the services of a skilled man like Fadnavis is required. But he is unhappy ever since he was demoted to the post of the DCM. Fadnavis is unlikely to be active unless Shah gives him his dues. Besides unless and until huge allurements are offered, the Shiv Sena corporators will not cross the floor. This could benefit the Shiv Sena in the ensuing election.

︎ Shiv Sena party chief Uddhav Thackeray carries goodwill and commands sympathy and respect among party workers and the people in general. Fadnavis can remain neutral if he is not satisfied and given due respect by Shah. He could even tacitly support the Shiv Sena. (anything is possible in love, war and politics). As such it is not easy for the BJP and Shinde faction to secure a majority in the BMC.