The Maharashtra government has brought in a new directive that mandates all official files to be screened by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde before being sent to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for final approval.
It is a step back to the 2023 system in which the files were first screened by the two then-deputy CMs, Ajit Pawar and Fadnavis, and then sent to the then-CM Shinde.
A formal order validating this setup was given by State Chief Secretary Sujata Saunik on March 18. The order read, "Since July 26, 2023, files were shifted from Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who handles the finance department, to (then) Deputy CM Fadnavis, in charge of the home, law, and judiciary departments, before reaching (then) CM Shinde for approval."
This system was reorganized following the entry of Ajit Pawar, a former Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly, into the July 2, 2023, Shinde government, accompanied by a few MLAs from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
Following Fadnavis's takeover as Chief Minister after the Mahayuti alliance's victory at the polls last year, the system has been revised.
According to the new directive, all files will now shift from Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, who continues to be in charge of the finance department, to Eknath Shinde, who is also Deputy CM and in charge of the housing and urban development ministries. Only after approval by Shinde will the files then go to CM Fadnavis for a final approval.
Ever since the Mahayuti 2.0 government came into power, there have been continuous reports of differences between Shinde and Fadnavis. The two leaders have, however, brushed aside such reports.
A point of disagreement came up in the context of the appointment of guardian ministers for some of the districts. Significantly, Fadnavis had to withdraw his choice for the guardian minister positions for Nashik and Raigad after Shinde objected.
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