Few politicians in India have faced the kind of scepticism that Maharashtra’s Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has encountered. Once an autorickshaw driver, his hardscrabble life earned him no special favours in the power corridors of the Shiv Sena, where he toiled for decades as a foot soldier. Yet, despite the odds, Shinde has managed to reinvent himself, transforming from a regional leader into the chief of India’s richest state - a feat remarkable for its sheer implausibility.
When Shinde orchestrated a political coup in 2022, vertically splitting the Shiv Sena founded by Bal Thackeray and toppling the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government led by Uddhav Thackeray to form an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), political pundits were quick to write him off. He was, and continues to be, labelled as a ‘puppet’ of the BJP.
Political Cassandras assumed he would soon be overshadowed by the towering presence of Devendra Fadnavis, the BJP’s ambitious former chief minister and that his Shiv Sena would be routed in the Lok Sabha election this year. Yet, for a leader dismissed as an interloper, Shinde not only held his own but, against expectations, his Sena performed creditably in recent political contests, outdoing even the BJP’s strike rate in the results.
From his birth in humble surroundings in Satara, Shinde entered politics through grassroots activism, rising through the ranks of the Shiv Sena in Thane. His journey from the street to the top echelons of power, mentored by firebrand late Shiv Sena leader Anand Dighe, has hinged on his populism and as a figure who embodies the aspirations of the common man.
Despite the onslaught from the opposition MVA and Uddhav Thackeray, who tried to paint him as a traitor to the Shiv Sena’s original ethos soon after his revolt, Shinde has successfully rebranded himself as the protector of Sena’s working-class voter base.
The recent launch of a biography highlighting Shinde’s hard-fought journey, along with the release of ‘Dharmaveer 2,’ a film about his mentor Anand Dighe and now the anticipated release of a stage play on Shinde, is part of this rebranding to strengthen his image as the true heir to the Sena’s Hindutva legacy.
With the Maharashtra Assembly election approaching, these releases strategically promote Shinde as a humble, relentless worker aligned with Bal Thackeray’s original vision - positioning him as a ‘man of the people’ in contrast to privileged Thackeray scion Aaditya Thackeray.
His close ties to Thane’s industrial belt, where he has cultivated a loyal following, have served as a political bulwark against attacks from both the opposition and sections of the BJP eager to see him fail.
Shinde’s story is one of resilience and reinvention. For a man who once ferried passengers in an autorickshaw, he has come far indeed. Yet, as Maharashtra’s Chief Minister, his journey has only just begun. Whether he can maintain his grip on power in the volatile years ahead will depend on his ability to evolve - as he has done so often in the past.
Comments