Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde finally showed his ministers, MLAs and party functionaries who’s boss. At a meeting in Mumbai on Monday, Shinde pulled up his flock, saying, “People don’t point fingers at you; they point them at me and ask: what are your MLAs up to?”
The sharp reprimand follows a series of incidents involving Sena MLAs that have cast the party in a poor light ahead of crucial local body elections scheduled for later this year. While some Sena MLAs have been using their fists to do the talking, others have threatened to “sever the tongue” and “break the legs” of opposition politicians, displays widely seen as false bravado.
“Public life demands discipline, and we must uphold it. I expect discipline and accountability from each of you,” Shinde said at the meeting.
Most recently, social justice minister, Sanjay Shirsat, who had admitted to receiving an Income Tax notice asking him to explain a sudden surge in his wealth, was seen seated on a bed next to a travel bag that contained what appeared to be bundles of currency notes. A couple of days before that, MLA from Buldhana, Sanjay Gaikwad, clad in a vest and a towel wrapped around his waist, punched a canteen employee to the ground after forcing him to sniff stale food in an MLAs’ hostel.
While Shirsat claimed the bag contained clothes, not cash, Gaikwad remained unrepentant, even justifying his assault on the canteen employee.
These incidents, and several before them, have upset the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Sena’s senior alliance partner in the Mahayuti government. The BJP fears that the Sena MLAs’ high-handed behaviour could undo hard-won electoral gains during the upcoming polls, including the pivotal Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has also publicly condemned the hooliganism.
With his back against the wall, Shinde said with uncharacteristic firmness on Monday, “Some ministers had to step down after a public backlash. I don’t like to take action against members of my own family but don’t compel me to do it. I expect discipline and accountability from each of you.”
The warning was unmistakable. Shinde has not only been embarrassed by rowdy Sena MLAs, time and again, but also taunted by opposition leaders. They say he cannot stand up to his ministers and MLAs as he owes them for their loyalty during his coup against Uddhav Thackeray in 2022. Shinde had then split the undivided Shiv Sena and joined the BJP to form the first Mahayuti government, going on to become chief minister.
“You all are my people. We are one family. Your disrepute is my disrepute. Don’t waste your energy on pointless matters. Speak less, work more,” said Shinde, during the 50-minute master class on political conduct.
Hinting at why he stayed quiet despite his MLAs repeatedly engaging in acts of hooliganism, Shinde remarked, “I act like a karyakarta (party worker) – and you should too. Don’t let your success go to your head. No matter how many positions you hold, always remember, you are first and foremost a worker.”
The Sena chief also warned his party colleagues about the opposition. “They are small in number but very alert and want you to fall into their trap,” he said.
With local body elections around the corner, Shinde warned, “Be alert and cautious. Challenging times lie ahead and they will test us.”