Late-night conference between Amit Shah and Ajit Pawar stirs speculation over potential cabinet discord in Maharashtra Politics
Mumbai, Maharashtra: Union Home Minister Amit Shah concluded his tour of Maharashtra with a clandestine late-night meeting with Deputy Chief Minister and NCP Chief Ajit Pawar at the Sahyadri Guest House. The scant 20-minute meeting, shrouded in secrecy, has propelled a whirlwind of political speculation across the state.
Although neither the BJP nor Pawar's camp have released any official statements, the furtive nature of the meeting has kindled intense deliberations within the Mahayuti alliance. Earlier whispers, circulating in political circles, suggested that Shah and Maharashtra BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis had decided to induct Food and Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal into the state cabinet without consulting Pawar.
Bhujbal himself, in a recent television interview, acknowledged Shah and Fadnavis' role in his cabinet entry but conspicuously omitted any mention of Pawar—a singularity that has raised eyebrows within the alliance. Bhujbal has previously alleged that Ajit Pawar objected to his induction into the cabinet during the December 2024 cabinet expansion. The prevailing discontent escalated with former minister Dhananjay Munde's displeasure over being dropped from the cabinet and his portfolio being handed over to Bhujbal.
In addition, the Shah-Pawar meeting is believed to have touched upon the forthcoming local body elections, elevating the discussions' political significance for the coalition's internal dynamics.
Earlier in the day, Shah attended the inaugural Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj State Inspiration Song Award - 2025 ceremony, organized by the Maharashtra government at Varsha, the official residence in Mumbai. The event took place in the presence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who, along with Shah, awarded a ₹2 lakh cheque to the Swatantryaveer Savarkar Foundation for the upkeep of Savarkar's national memorial. Following the ceremony, Shah departed for Delhi, leaving political pundits ruminating on the interpretation of his secretive rendezvous with Pawar.
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- The secretive meeting between Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in Mumbai has sparked discussions about the upcoming local body elections and the coalition's internal dynamics.
- Earlier speculation suggested that Shah and Maharashtra BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis had decided to induct Food and Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal into the state cabinet without consulting Pawar, which Bhujbal himself has acknowledged but omitted any mention of Pawar.
- Amidst mounting discontent within the Mahayuti alliance, the general-news surrounding the exchange between Shah and Pawar has been dominated by insights into the state's business and political landscapes, particularly the forthcoming elections and cabinet expansion.
