In 1971, Sushilkumar Shinde resigned as a sub-inspector to join politics at the behest of Sharad Pawar. Life has come a full circle as he is gears up to take charge of the Union Home Ministry.
Maharashtra state leaders have always been in the forefront when it comes to taking up responsibilities of the Union Home Ministry.
The state's first chief minister, Yashwantrao Chavan and former CM Sushilkumar Shinde have made it to the second-most important job of the country, a reward for their loyalty to the Gandhi family.
On Monday, Congress president Sonia Gandhi held a meeting with Shinde. During the meeting Shinde discussed with her the failure of the North power grid and also matters related to Maharashtra. At the end of the meeting Gandhi indicated that he should be ready to shoulder new responsibilities in the Home Ministry.
Documents relating to Yashwantrao Chavan also indicate the dramatic manner in which he was summoned to Delhi by then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to take charge as defence minister. Later he went on to become the home minister from 1966-1970.
Shankarrao Chavan, who was also the former chief minister of state, served the Home Ministry in Prime Minister Narasimha Rao’s government. He was home minister between 1991 and 1996. The controversial demolition of the Babri Masjid was during his tenure. The last from the state in charge of home affairs was Shivraj Patil (2004 and 2008). Patil had to resign from the post following terrorist attacks in Mumbai. The Centre’s trust factor with Maharashtra loyalists is perceived as crucial to the appointment of Shinde. Shinde has an excellent rapport with Sonia Gandhi and her children, Priyanka and Rahul.
A low profile minister, Shinde has always maintained, “I am willing to do any job assigned by the Congress party.”
Shinde’s political career of four decades is interesting. In 1971, he resigned from the job of sub-inspector to join state politics at the behest of Sharad Pawar. Since then he has never looked back. He has held the jobs of Cabinet minister, chief minister of Maharashtra, governor of Andhra Pradesh and now a Union minister at the Centre.
Interestingly, last month Shinde had deposed before the state Adarsh Commission. But insiders indicated that the Centre had already given him the clean chit the day he was chosen to head the three-member team to review the Uttar Pradesh assembly poll debacle.
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