While the opposition Congress and NCP have so far failed to evoke any response for their protests against the government since it is early days, all is not well when it comes to BJP-Shiv Sena ties and the comfort level of four small alliance partners.
Ever since the change of guard in the state, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has left no stone unturned when it comes to sending out a message – that his government is different from the previous Congress-NCP on various counts.
While stressing on fulfilling the poll promises, the government has also given its nod for open inquiry by anti-corruption bureau into the alleged irrigation scams. The BJP and Shiv Sena, during electioneering, had accused the Congress-NCP government of indulging in a Rs 70,000-crore irrigation scam, since the state has not achieved much after huge expenditure in the sector.
The government's first decision after oath-taking on October 31 was that it would enact a law providing services to citizens in stipulated time. This law is derived from Madhya Pradesh law on the same lines but the government while bringing the same in Maharashtra has not provided for monetary punishment for the bureaucrats failing to provide services in stipulated time frame.
The government, while conducting inquiries into irrigation scams as well as various water conservation schemes of earlier government, has also took dynamic decisions on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj memorial at Arabian Sea as well as Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar memorial at Indu Mill and Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar museum at London House where Dr Ambedkar stayed in 1920s. All these memorials, coupled with the announcement of a befitting memorial in memory of Late Balasaheb Thackeray, are expected to give BJP an upperhand over its rivals on the political front.
While the opposition Congress and NCP have so far failed to evoke any response for their protests against the government since it is early days, all is not well when it comes to BJP-Shiv Sena ties and the comfort level of four small alliance partners.
Shiv Sena, which kept BJP on tenter-hooks even during the trust vote, ultimately joined the government, but not on its agenda. Differences between the two made headlines, the latest being Sena's outburst in support of drought-hit Vidarbha farmers. The party also despatched its prominent leaders to Vidarbha, who camped there for almost a week, to milk the situation.
Similarly, Sena's Minister for Transport Diwakar Raote came down heavily on Chief Minister Fadnavis in Cabinet meeting last week for not doing much for the farmers. The government has another big challenge in the form of disgruntled colleagues, including Revenue minister Eknath Khadse who has been taking pot shots at the Chief Minister at every given opportunity.
Another issue is open criticism of the government by the Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana over the issue of fair and remunerative price to cane growers in the state. Coupled with this, there is an issue of acommodating the smaller parties in the cabinet since Rashtriya Samaj Party president Mahadev Jankar as well as Shiv Sangram leader Vuinayak Mete have become MLCs on BJP ticket.
Even though Republican Party of India leader Ramdas Athavale is an MP in Rajya Sabha all the four small partners, including Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana, would like to have their share in the power and it would be interesting to see how Fanavis balances his acts.
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