In Many Twists & Turns Of Maharashtra Politics, Uddhav's Sena Now Praises Fadnavis. BJP Reunion Ahead?

The Maharashtra assembly elections may be over, but the state's political landscape remains dynamic. Power equations continue to shift, with reports now suggesting a possible thaw between Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT) and the BJP. At the centre of this speculation is the praise showered by Uddhav Sena's mouthpiece Saamana on Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, even as discontent brews between BJP and its Mahayuti ally, Eknath Shinde.

In its latest editorial, Saamana has lauded Fadnavis for "taking away the powers" of ministers to appoint personal secretaries and officers on special duty (OSDs). At the same time, the editorial did not hold back against Shinde, alleging that during his tenure as CM, "fixers and brokers were fostered and had a free run". The editorial also claimed that Shinde had 'complained' to top BJP leadership about Fadnavis, while it went on to praise Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his fight against corruption.

This is not the first time Uddhav's faction has spoken positively about Fadnavis. Earlier in January, Saamana had also praised the CM for his visit to the Naxal-affected Gadchiroli district. This marks a striking shift in tone, considering that Uddhav's camp - which walked away from its decades-old alliance with the BJP in 2014 - had previously blamed Fadnavis for orchestrating the split in Shiv Sena by supporting Shinde.

The praise for Fadnavis comes at a time when murmurs of rift are growing within the Mahayuti coalition. Shinde's dissatisfaction reportedly began when he was asked to accept a demotion to deputy CM. While Shinde has publicly dismissed any rift with the BJP, his actions tell a different story. Shinde and NCP leader Ajit Pawar have established their own project monitoring cells to oversee development in their respective departments—an assertion of power seen as a challenge to Fadnavis, who already has a "war room" for key projects.

Shinde has also been taking independent steps, such as setting up a separate medical aid cell despite the existence of the CM relief fund. His avoidance of meetings convened by Fadnavis, including the Nashik Regional Development Authority discussions on the 2027 Kumbh Mela, further suggests internal tensions.

Meanwhile, Fadnavis' home department has cut or withdrawn police security for 20 Shiv Sena MLAs who had been granted protection after the 2022 party split—a move seen as another sign of shifting power equations.

As Uddhav's camp increases its attacks on Shinde while simultaneously adopting a softer approach towards the BJP, speculation is rife about a potential rapprochement.