If there is one subject that is being discussed in Maharashtra this week in every political party, among observers and the media, it is about the ongoing cold war between Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Even the national media is taking note of this cold war, which was not at all expected by anybody because the two leaders shared such great chemistry just months ago.

It would be interesting to see how this cold war originated and where it is headed. Last week, the Maharashtra home ministry, headed by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, decided to withdraw the Y category security provided to all MLAs of Eknath Shinde. There was major resentment inside the Shiv Sena when this decision was announced and the regional media took up the subject majorly. But this was not the only thing that upset Shinde.

There were many other decisions related to financial allotments announced by Shinde in the previous regime that were changed by the Fadnavis government in the past few days. CM Fadnavis and Shinde reached such a level of disagreement in the past weeks that the Union home minister, Amit Shah, had to hold a meeting with both the leaders in Pune in the late hours to find some solution to this crisis.

At the root of the dispute between Fadnavis and Shinde is the clash over who should lead the government in Maharashtra. The BJP........

© Free Press Journal