Ministry of Cooperation created by Modi-Shah duo to take on Sharad Pawar?

With additional charge of the newly-created Ministry of Cooperation given to Home Minister Amit Shah, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has identified ‘Political Enemy No.1’ – NCP supremo Sharad Pawar – who has been anchoring efforts to cobble up a viable and winning political alternative to the Modi-Shah BJP juggernaut, which saw near total annihilation in the West Bengal assembly polls even as the second Covid wave drowned Modi’s international standing.

The focus is on Maharashtra, but the panacea is from Gujarat. For those who don’t know, Sharad Pawar is emperor of Maharashtra cooperatives and the ‘Shah’ of Gujarat cooperatives was Amit Shah. Shah, by heading the new Ministry will try to carve out the cooperatives’ niche from under Pawar’s nose.

At least that’s the goal, which will not be spoken aloud. Like somebody said to nobody in particular, with the “creation of the Ministry of Cooperation and giving Union Home Minister Amit Shah additional charge of the ministry, Modi has opened new doors in politics with focus on Maharashtra”.

It is a warning to Sharad Pawar, a move to clip his wings if he gets too flighty and feisty in the next couple of years before General Elections 2024. Like they say, Narendra Modi lives and breathes electoral politics. Regular doses of electoral victories is what keeps Modi in ‘good’ mood, and on his toes. It also ensures that his massive ego stays well fed!