Keeping Pawar happy is Uddhav’s top challenge

Uddhav Thackeray ended 2019 on a high note by solving the biggest conundrum before his government: Cabinet expansion. The exercise was delayed by over a month as the Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena leadership had to first ensure their flock stayed together. Over a month after chief minister Uddhav Thackeray and six Cabinet ministers took the oath at a grand ceremony at Shivaji Park, Maharashtra governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari administered the oath to 14 ministers from the NCP, 10 from the Congress and 12 from the Shiv Sena.

Expectedly, the Cabinet expansion left several legislators from the Maha Vikas Aghadi unhappy and fuming. NCP MLA Makarand Patil’s supporters resigned from their posts after he was overlooked. Another NCP MLA, Prakash Solanke from Beed, announced his resignation Monday night. Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut was conspicuous by his absence at the swearing-in after his brother Sunil Raut was ignored. The Congress will have its task cut out while pacifying the likes of three-time MLA Praniti Shinde.

The makeup of Uddhav Thackeray’s Cabinet is also not without its inherent weaknesses. Out of 43, only three ministers are women. This includes two from the Congress and one from NCP. The Shiv Sena, which is leading the government, has only two women MLAs in Yamini Jadhav and Lata Sonawane. Both are first-time MLAs: possibly the reason why the Sena has no woman in the council of ministers.

Aaditya Thackeray has, however, been included in the ministry and given Cabinet rank despite being a first-time MLA. This has raised many eyebrows. The new team has also become a case in point of nepotism, as 22 of 43 ministers, including the CM himself, come from political families. Even the three women — Varsha Gaikwad, Yashomati Thakur and Aditi Tatkare — joined politics piggybacking on the legacy of their fathers. Aaditya’s inclusion only tops the rampant nepotism in Maharashtra politics.

Mr Thackeray will face bigger challenges in 2020. His government has to overcome the nepotism and patriarchy tags. While the Sena chief promised good governance in the state, the government’s stability is his first priority.

The government’s “remote control” is in NCP supremo Sharad Pawar’s hands. The MVA government was formed only because of Mr Pawar’s crafty political manoeuvring. He was the one who gave confidence to Mr Thackeray to break away from the BJP and forced the Congress to support the Sena-led government. Mr Pawar didn’t disclose all his cards till the Congress committed its participation in the MVA government. He was the only one among MVA constituents to have the option of joining hands with the Narendra Modi-led BJP. That option is still open for him, and thus the government will last as long as Mr Pawar wants it to.

In the month-long government formation drama, Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Raut said: “One needs to take 100 births to understand Pawar.” Uddhav doesn’t have such luxury. Maharashtra’s CM must understand what’s on Mr Pawar’s mind at all times if wants to complete his full term.