One year of Mahayuti: Infra push versus alliance jitters as opposition demands 'white paper'

Mumbai, Dec 5 (PTI) The BJP-led 'Mahayuti' government in Maharashtra headed by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis marked its first anniversary in power on Friday showcasing its infrastructure push, managing a volatile three-party coalition and fending off escalating opposition attacks over many issues including farmer suicides.

Initially, the Mahayuti government comprising the BJP, NCP, and Shiv Sena saw a lot of friction within its allies leading to 10-day delay in cabinet formation. The government, however, has been showcasing a year defined by an aggressive push for infrastructure and investment with complete transparency maintained.

The first year also saw resignation of NCP Minister Dhananjay Munde in March this year following a national outrage over the murder of a sarpanch in Beed district. His close aide has been arrested in connection with the case.

Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, speaking at a press conference in Mumbai, said the Fadnavis government has "reset the pace of infrastructure building" and established "new standards of development with a focus on transparency through digital systems." However, the opposition Congress slammed the administration, arguing that the public is disappointed over the performance of the last one year of the Maharashtra government. Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Vijay Wadettiwar, speaking in Nagpur, claimed that farmer suicides have increased, agricultural produce lacks guaranteed prices, and the government is busy "patting its own back" in five-star hotels.

"The government is busy patting its own back... and people have received nothing except disappointment," Wadettiwar said, demanding that the state government present a "white paper" in the upcoming Winter Session (beginning December 8) detailing its pre-poll promises, decisions, and actual delivery.

The government, however, listed completion of the Samruddhi Expressway, progress on Mumbai Coastal Road, Trans Harbour Link, and various Metro rail projects across the region alongside planning for the mega Vadhavan port besides signing of Rs 16 lakh crore Memorandum of Understanding at Davos leading to increase in foreign investment year on year basis to 34 per cent among its achievements.

The Mahayuti won 235 seats in the 288-member House in the November 2024 assembly polls. Fadnavis was sworn in as chief minister on December 5, 2024, with the delay in government formation raising eyebrows.

The delay was marked by intense speculation on whether Eknath Shinde would get a second shot at being CM, with the Shiv Sena leader not keen on being part of the government if he did not get the top post. The swearing-in of ministers took place on December 15, ten days after Fadnavis took oath, and just on the eve of the new assembly's first session in Nagpur.

Its first challenge was the fall-out of the December 9, 2024 murder of Beed sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh, as the arrest of main accused Walmik Karad, a close aide of NCP minister Dhananjay Munde, had the Opposition up in arms.

Under sustained pressure, and amid national outrage over videos that showed Deshmukh being tortured, Munde quit the cabinet in March citing health reasons.

Speaking at a press conference here to mark the completion of one year of the government, BJP minister Bawankule said initiatives in agriculture, irrigation, infrastructure, industry, employment generation and women empowerment were being implemented with a long-term roadmap.

Despite getting a firm grip on the state politics and government, friction between the BJP and Shiv Sena dominated the headline as the BJP asserted its commanding position.

There were allegations of corruption and misconduct against some Shiv Sena ministers and MLAs, while the Pune land deal involving a firm in which Deputy CM Ajit Pawar's son Parth is a partner gave further ammunition to the Opposition. The sale deed had to be cancelled, and an FIR was registered, though Opposition parties slammed the absence of Parth's name in it.

The sale of a Jain Trust property in Pune to a developer brought Union Minister Murlidhar Mohol in the crosshairs of the Opposition, though he denied any link to the matter. This deal too was cancelled after the developer backtracked amid protests from the community.

The Opposition also flayed the Fadnavis government for not announcing farm loan waiver and not hiking the monthly financial aid for women beneficiaries under the Ladki Bahin Yojana despite making such a promise during the assembly poll campaign.

Activist Manoj Jarange's hunger strike in south Mumbai in the last week of August resulted in the state government accepting several of his demands for issuance of Kunbi caste certificates, which would allow quota benefits under the OBC segment to the Maratha community.

However, it evoked strong opposition from the Other Backward Classes, leaving the government to attempt a delicate balancing act by setting up a cabinet sub-committee, just like it did for Maratha quota.

Amid speculation of internal strife, all three ruling parties declared work was progressing unitedly and without strain. However, last month, Shiv Sena ministers skipped a cabinet meeting in the backdrop of state BJP president Ravindra Chavan inducting functionaries of the Shinde-led party in Kalyan-Dombivali and other strongholds of the deputy CM.

Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar said one year of the BJP-led Mahayuti government has left the people of Maharashtra disappointed.

The former minister claimed farmer suicides have increased in the last one year and agricultural produce was not getting guaranteed price, while cultivators were struggling to receive seeds or fertilisers on time.

"The government is busy patting its own back. They sit in five-star hotels and narrate their achievements, but people have received nothing except disappointment. The state government must present a 'white paper' in the Winter session of the legislature (beginning from December 8 in Nagpur) outlining its pre-poll promises, decisions and delivery," he said.

Shiv Sena and NCP, the other alliance partners, did not celebrate the first anniversary publicly. Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde was at his Thane home while Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was busy with his son's wedding in Bahrain.

Bawankule, when asked about reported differences in the alliance, said there could be differences of opinion but there was no bitterness or division. "In a large family, things happen," he said. PTI MR BNM RSY SKL KRK