BJP chief Ram Shinde was on Thursday appointed the chairman of the Maharashtra Legislative Council — a publish which has been mendacity vacant for greater than two years.
For the BJP, the appointment of Ram Shinde has not solely reaffirmed its dominance within the Higher Home, which is politically essential to push the state authorities enterprise to its logical finish, but in addition bolsters its try to succeed in out to the Dhangar group to which the 55-year-old chief belongs.
The transfer can also be seen as political rehabilitation for Ram Shinde after his consecutive defeats within the 2019 and 2024 Meeting polls.
Within the not too long ago held Meeting polls, Ram Shinde had misplaced by a slim margin of 1,243 votes to NCP(SP)’s Rohit Pawar from the Karjat- Jamkhed constituency in Ahmednagar district. He had then blamed BJP’s alliance associate NCP led by Ajit Pawar, who was Rohit Pawar’s uncle, for the defeat.
Ram Shinde hails from Chondi in Ahmednagar district in Western Maharashtra.
After finishing his BEd from Marathwada College within the then Aurangabad (now Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar), and MSc from Pune College, he began his political journey.
In 2009, he had gained as a BJP candidate from Karjat-Jamkhed, a seat which he retained within the 2009 and 2014 elections.
He was additionally the Minister of State for Residence, Public Well being, Horticulture and Markets and Tourism in 2014 when Devendra Fadnavis was the chief minister.
Inside two years, he was elevated as a cabinet-rank minister and given the water conservation ministry in 2016. Ram Shinde was appointed as Member of State Legislative Council ( MLC) in July 2022.
Illustration for Dhangar group
Ram Shinde belongs to the Dhangar (shepherd) group, which constitutes 9 per cent of the state’s inhabitants.
The group had been been demanding, for many years, reservation underneath Scheduled Tribe class.
At present, Dhangars get 3.5 per cent quota underneath Nomadic Tribe (C) Dhangar class.
Within the 2014 Meeting polls, Devendra Fadnavis had promised to deal with the Dhangar group’s quota demand.
Accordingly, authorities took initiative to conduct surveys and entrusted TISS to organize a research report. Nonetheless, the matter stays inconclusive as communities underneath the ST class have opposed the transfer.
Demand for the publish
The publish of chairman of state legislative council was mendacity vacant since 2022 after the tenure of undivided NCP chief Ramraje Nimbalkar ended.
In contrast to up to now, BJP has made it clear that it’ll not depart its declare on constitutional posts within the state legislative.
From 2022 to 2024, Neelam Gorhe from Ekanth Shinde-led Shiv Sena, who was deputy chairperson of MLC, was given the extra cost of appearing chairperson.
Even because the Shinde Sena was vying the chairperson publish, BJP stood its floor citing it had extra members within the state council.
On Thursday, Chief Minister Fadnavis termed Ram Shinde’s appointment a “good tribute” to Maratha queen Ahilyabai Holkar.
“That is the three hundredth delivery anniversary of Ahilyabai Holkar and coincidently we now have made Ram Shinde the chairman of state legislative council. Shinde hails from the ninth era of Ahilyabai Holkar’s father’s household.”
Whereas, Deputy CM and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde stated: “You’ve Ram in your identify. And also you share Shinde surname. I’m assured that you’ll give justice to each member within the higher home.”
In the meantime, NCP chief and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, whom Ram Shinde had accused of not campaigning for him, stated: “What ever occurs is for the very best… You had complained that I didn’t maintain marketing campaign rally in Karjat-Jamkhed and also you misplaced. At this time, you might be elevated to a better publish.”
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