Maharashtra: Mahayuti alliance under strain as Sena ministers question Sunetra’s oath-taking

The swearing-in of Sunetra Pawar as Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister has drawn criticism from three Shiv Sena ministers, exposing fresh tensions in the ruling Mahayuti alliance.

Sunetra Pawar took oath as Dy CM on January 31, three days after Ajit Pawar was killed in an air crash on January 28.

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Disapproving of the remarks, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said saying such "low-level politics must stop.

Question on the urgency

Speaking in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Social Justice Minister and Sena leader Sanjay Shirsat on Friday (February 6) said taking oath immediately after the tragic incident was not acceptable to the common people.

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Industries Minister Uday Samant said elsewhere that nobody should feel sad about Sunetra Pawar becoming deputy CM, "but there is suspicion about why the oath-taking happen so soon." "Did someone orchestrate it?" Samant asked.

When asked for comment, chief minister Fadnavis said the controversy was "unnecessary and wrong." "Everybody is trying to do their own politics in this. Such low-level politics must stop," Fadnavis told reporters.

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On Thursday, another Shiv Sena leader and former minister Ramdas Kadam had targeted state NCP president Sunil Tatkare, saying he worked against the interests of those who had helped him grow in his career.

"After Dada's (Ajit Pawar) death, Tatkare did dirty politics of checkmating Sharad Pawar which is shameful. Making Sunetra Pawar take oath just after Dada's death is not the culture of Maharashtra. Maharashtra will never forgive Sunil Tatkare," Kadam said.