From an auto driver to becoming CM of Maharashtra: A look at Eknath Shinde’s political journey

In what came out as a stunning twist to the days-long political crisis in Maharashtra, rebel Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde was pronounced as the next Chief Minister of the state by BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis.

Eknath Shinde took oath as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra today, along with Devendra Fadnavis as his deputy.

This comes after the collapse of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra with the resignation of former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray yesterday ahead of a floor test called by Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, for the Shiv Sena chief to prove his majority.

Following his resignation, the BJP's Maharashtra chapter sprang into action, holding several core committee meetings to discuss their course of action going forward as the dissident MLAs camped out in Goa. It was only earlier today when Fadnavis and the dissident Shiv Sena strongman met with Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari to press their claim to form the government in Maharashtra.

 

A look at Eknath Shinde’s political journey

Eknath Sambhaji Shinde is a Shiv Sena politician and current member of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly from the Kopri-Pachpakhadi seat in the Thane district. Starting out as a grassroots Sena worker, Shinde (58) rose on to become the most senior Sena minister in the Uddhav Thackeray government where he handled the urban development portfolio until now.

Shinde was born in Satara on February 9, 1964. He moved to Thane at a young age, where he attended Mangala High School and Junior College until the 11th grade. In order to provide for his family, he had to stop studying and began working at an early age.

He joined the Shiv Sena in 1980 under the influence of the then Shiv Sena supremo Balasaheb Thackeray and began working as a Sainik. He took part in a number of agitations during that time, including the Maharashtra-Karnataka agitation on the status of the Belgauvi, for which he had to serve a prison sentence of 40 days.

Because of his commitment to the Sena's cause, he was granted the opportunity to run for Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) corporator in 1997, which he went on to win with a sizable majority. He was chosen to lead the house in the TMC in 2001, a position which he held on until 2004.

However, it was only after the death of Thane strongman and his own political mentor Anand Dighe in 2001 that Shinde saw a meteoric rise and was highly instrumental in bolstering the Sena in the state. Shinde was reputed to have carefully crafted his persona to closely resemble Dighe, sporting a beard that was identical to his mentor’s, and even adopting Dighe's special way of functioning, which many believe to be the reason behind his ever-growing popularity in Thane and elsewhere.

In 2004, Balasaheb Thackeray gave Shinde the chance to run in the Thane Assembly Constituency Assembly Elections, which he won with a big majority. In the very following year, Shinde was selected to the coveted position of Shiv Sena Thane District Head.

He was re-elected to the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly for a total of four terms in 2004, 2009, 2014, and 2019. After a dispute between the Shiv Sena and the BJP in 2014, he was even named the Leader of the Opposition in the government.

In the Sena, Shinde was largely responsible for planning the main gatherings and events of the political party. Shinde was the one responsible for drawing large audiences to Shiv Sena rallies following Raj Thackeray and Narayan Rane's uprising. Even in the 2019 political crisis, Shinde was able to regain a few MLAs of the party from the BJP-led alliance.

When the Maha Vikas Aghadi administration was established following the 2019 Assembly Elections in Maharashtra, Eknath Shinde was appointed a cabinet minister for urban development and public works.

(With inputs from India Today)

 

Also read: Eknath Shinde to be Maharashtra CM, announces Fadnavis, to take oath at 7:30 pm

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