Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde lands in native Satara village amid 'political realignment' buzz

KOLHAPUR: Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde on Tuesday afternoon arrived at his home village, Dare Tarfe Taam, in Satara district amid the buzz around a possible political realignment in the state ahead of the Supreme Court's decision over the disqualification of several Shiv Sena MLAs on the grounds of defection last year.
Shinde is also one of the 16 MLAs in the crosshairs. Sources told TOI that at a meeting with district collectors on Monday, Shinde had announced that he would be going to Dare village on an "unofficial visit". The CMO did not make his tour details public, nor did the Satara district administration.

Shinde was, however, received by the district officials after his helicopter landed in the village of 40-odd houses.

After he left for Dare village, opposition parties minced no words in taking a dig at the alliance between Shinde's Sena and the BJP. Minister Uday Samant attempted to clear the air, saying Shinde has gone to participate in a village fair. Shinde's supporters claimed he had arrived to listen to Parayan, a discourse by spiritual thinkers.

Eknath Shinde lands in Satara village
Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) on Tuesday said Shinde is on his way out, but who would be his rubber-stamp successor? This observation came amid rumours doing rounds of the state political circles. In an editorial in party mouthpiece 'Saamana', the Shiv Sena (UBT) said while the Shinde faction was busy saving the chair, deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis's camp "is sweet-talking them and playing a different game behind their back." The editorial said, "The chief minister will surely go."

On Monday, BJP had sniggered at Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut's claims that a change of chief minister in Maharashtra was allegedly being plotted out in Delhi. BJP spokesperson Ram Kadam said that Raut "is clearly rattled' and is daydreaming like 'Mungerilal ke sapne' with such comments."
Earlier on Monday, Raut contended that Shinde has not lived up to the BJP's expectations and moves are reportedly underway in Delhi to topple him.
(With inputs from agencies)