A well-known Shiv Sena (UBT) leader named Sanjay Raut recently asserted that Maharashtra is ready to name a third Deputy Chief Minister, most likely from the Eknath Shinde-led group. Discussions over the stability and internal dynamics of Shinde’s leadership and his partnership with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have been triggered by this claim.
Raut’s Arguments and Background
As tensions between the Shiv Sena’s factions increased, Raut made his speech. The appointment of a third Deputy Chief Minister, he said, is a symptom of serious divisions within Shinde’s party that could threaten his power. Shinde’s section, according to Raut, abandoned fundamental party values because they were afraid of central agencies such as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) [1][4]. He said, “No one should take Eknath Shinde seriously… he will not be there tomorrow because Maharashtra is getting a third deputy chief minister from the same party” [6].
Discord Allegations
Raut went on to explain what he called a paralysis in governance brought on by the conflict between Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. According to him, their inability to communicate has led to public laughter while also having an impact on state management [2][3]. Many MLAs in Shinde’s section are restless, according to Raut, and some are considering defecting to the BJP or to Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT) [3].
Consequences for Politics
Shinde’s political future and his relationship with the BJP are called into doubt by the possible appointment of a third Deputy Chief Minister. According to Raut, Shinde feels deceived by BJP leaders, especially after losing his position as chief minister after the assembly elections in November 2024. Shinde’s position is further complicated by claims that he believes he is being watched, which adds to this sense of betrayal [2][3].
Raut’s comments are indicative of larger worries about Shinde’s leadership’s stability in the face of continuous political scheming in Maharashtra. As these tensions develop, the relationship between the Shiv Sena sections and their partnership with the BJP is probably going to keep changing.
To sum up, Sanjay Raut’s forecasts regarding a new Deputy Chief Minister underscore Maharashtra’s political unrest, implying that internal divisions within Eknath Shinde’s party may result in significant adjustments to the state’s system of government.
Citations:
[1] https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/maharashtra-will-get-a-third-deputy-cm-soon-from-shinde-sena-claims-sanjay-raut/articleshow/117510032.cms
[2] https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/fadnavis-shinde-discord-has-hit-maharashtras-progress-claims-sanjay-raut/articleshow/117854491.cms?from=mdr
[3] https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2025/Feb/02/fadnavis-shinde-discord-has-hit-maharashtras-progress-claims-sanjay-raut
[4] https://www.deccanherald.com/india/maharashtra/maharashtra-will-have-third-dy-cm-says-raut-claiming-rift-in-shiv-sena-3371060
[5] https://www.ptinews.com/story/national/maharashtra-will-have-third-dy-cm-says-raut-citing-sena-rift-samant-hits-back/2231884
[6] https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/maharashtra-will-have-third-dy-cm-says-raut-claiming-rift-in-shiv-sena/articleshow/117517742.cms
[7] https://www.rediff.com/news/report/will-maharashtra-get-a-third-deputy-cm-soon-rauts-big-claim/20250124.htm
[8] https://psv4.userapi.com/s/v1/d/AN-4tXxoc6e-nVIbArmRy3QAPLvnghM4H9zE_vYzSQfJYFx6yWFEntgRaUGRHpMaltkywNOKGs7HdS6IoKGNoSVLNI6kLEdcMcXG8X9YsqpKU7ac/ToI_Delhi_30_Dec_2023.pdf
[9] https://www.instagram.com/news9live/p/DFMpBGkz2TU/
