Mumbai: A day after Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis claimed there was no cold war between him and his deputy Eknath Shinde and photographs of the two smiling, along with the other deputy CM, Ajit Pawar, were on display across media. Shinde has delivered yet another curveball.

About Deputy CM Eknath Shinde's Move

Stepping clearly into Fadnavis’ territory, Shinde has deputed his ministers to handle the legislative work of the departments he is heading – urban development (UD), housing and the PWD-MSRDC. Observers said he wants to keep at a distance the BJP ministers of state (MoS) working under him.

On the first day of the budget session of the state legislature, Shindeʼs office was busy taking advice from experts in the parliamentary business of writing an official letter to the presiding officers of both Houses of the state legislature, informing them about his decision. Shinde has decided to depute Industries Minister Uday Samant to reply on issues related to the urban development department, School Education Minister Dadaji Bhuse for the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), and Tourism Minister Shambhuraj Desai for the Department of Housing.

The question is whether his move is legally correct, as such decisions are in the exclusive domain of the chief minister. The CM can ask any minister to handle legislative business on his behalf or if a minister requests the CM, citing some issues. In such a case, itʼs the CM and the minister for Parliamentary Affairs who request the presiding officers to allow a particular minister to face the business of the specified department.

The buzz is that Shinde may want to keep away BJP ministers of state (MoSs) from the legislative business of his departments. Madhuri Misal, Pankaj Bhoyar and Meghna Sakore Bordikar from the BJP are the MoSs for urban development, housing, and MSRDC, respectively. As per the rules, they are mandated to handle the legislative business in both the Houses of the state legislature.

But the twist is that now, Shinde wants his own men to address the issues of these departments on his behalf. If he succeeds in his plan, it will be a sort of victory for the Shiv Sena boss who has, of late, distanced himself from the daily happenings in Mantralaya and has been repeatedly saying, “Don’t take me lightly.”