The state of Maharashtra was rattled when BJP MLA Ganpat Gaikwad opened fire on Mahesh Gaikwad, the Shiv Sena's Kalyan city chief, sparking widespread controversy. Following the incident, Ganpat Gaikwad went on a Marathi news channel, directly accusing Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and demanding his resignation. This bold move by MLA Gaikwad ignited tensions within the Grand Alliance, leading Shiv Sena ministers to meet with BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister of the state, Devendra Fadnavis.
After the meeting, Shambhuraj Desai, the Shiv Sena leader and Guardian Minister of Thane district, shed light on the discussions held with Fadnavis. Desai expressed regret over the baseless allegations made by BJP MLA Ganpat Gaikwad against Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and emphasized the need for appropriate action. He stated that they presented their stance to Devendra Fadnavis and entrusted him to make the right decision in this matter.
Desai also pointed out that despite being a member of the coordination committee of Mahayuti and the guardian minister of Thane district, MLA Gaikwad had not raised this issue with him before. He highlighted Gaikwad's criticism of the Chief Minister, which emerged for the first time following the recent incident.
In response to the lack of coordination within the Grand Alliance, Desai confirmed that regular meetings would be held to address the matter. He mentioned that the leaders of the alliance, including Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, and Second Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, would convene in the coming days to discuss the coordination committee's meetings and devise a suitable policy.
Ganpat Gaikwad's allegations against Chief Minister Eknath Shinde were severe. He accused Shinde of betrayal and financial misconduct, urging him to resign from his position. Gaikwad claimed that Shinde owed him a significant amount of money and insinuated that Shinde's resignation would be crucial in curbing crime in Maharashtra. However, he expressed willingness to abide by the court's decision in this matter and called upon Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to accept Shinde's resignation.