"Future DCM?" Shirsat's supporters jump the gun

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

MLA Sanjay Shirsat’s supporters seem to have declared a ministerial victory before the race even began. Banners proclaiming Shirsat as the "Future Deputy Chief Minister" have popped up across the city, sparking curiosity and, for some, amusement.

Shirsat, who has been sidestepped for ministerial posts in the Mahayuti governments over the past five years, is now publicly confident of his elevation in the new government. His supporters, however, have taken his aspirations a step further, skipping the ministerial post altogether and aiming straight for the DCM chair.

In Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district, six MLAs from the Shinde Sena were elected, including Shirsat, who has won for the fourth time. During the previous government, he missed out on a ministerial post. As the senior-most Shinde Sena MLA from the district, Shirsat has expressed confidence that he will be appointed minister and guardian minister of the district. The Mahayuti government’s swearing-in is set for December 5, with decisions on key portfolios, including CM and HM, still under wraps. Yet, Shirsat’s loyalists aren’t waiting for official announcements. Some banners celebrate him as “Cidco Chairman,” while others label him “Honorable minister.” The boldest move is a banner near Osmanpura Square, where he’s hailed as the "Future Deputy Chief Minister.".

(With a photograph of the banner)