MUMBAI: Will Revenue Minister Chandrakant Patil become the face-saver for the Devendra Fadnavis government? This is the question everybody is asking after Patil’s elevation to the “Number 2” position in cabinet.
This year’s Monsoon Session was the worst for the government that completed two years in office last month. The aggressive Opposition had cornered the government. Ally Shiv Sena was also against the government in the House. The Winter Session in Nagpur is expected to be an extended version of the Monsoon Session.
The Opposition is likely to confront the government over corruption charges against ministers, deteriorating law and order, corruption in Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, loan waiver for farmers, Vidarbha statehood and Maratha reservation etc. Pro-Vidarbha activists and the Maratha community have planned rallies at Nagpur during the session. The High Court too is scheduled to hear cases regarding Maratha reservation around the same time. The demonetisation issue will also add fuel to the fire.
Meanwhile, Revenue Minister Chandrakant Patil was elevated to Number 2 in the Cabinet last week. Reports state, ‘Devgiri’—the bungalow meant for deputy CM is being prepared for Patil’s stay during the Winter Session. Interestingly, Eknath Khadse, when he was the revenue minister and senior-most BJP minister, was never allotted the bungalow even after requests.
Patil has played a major role in winning over prominent Maratha personalities in southern Maharashtra to the party fold. He also has a good rapport with Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray. Government is likely to bank on him to ensure calm on both the fronts.
However, his elevation didn’t go well with some partymen. According to a BJP leader from Patil’s own Kolhapur district, Patil might have been handling weighty portfolios, but there are several ministers in the cabinet who are senior to him in sheer experience, political clout and public perception. Prakash Mehta, Vishnu Savara, Sudhir Mungantiwar, were ministers in Sena-BJP government between 1995-98. Pandurang Pundalik Fundkar was chairman of legislative council during that period. And all of them have good mass base. Vinod Tawde is also senior to Patil in legislature. Pankaja Munde too has mass following due to her family background. But, many of them are below him on protocol list. “This might affect the government’s performance in the house,” the leader said.
However, finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar has something else to say. “Rank is decided primarily on our seating positions in the Assembly. Since Patil is the member of the legislative council, he has become leader of the house.”
That means, Patil would be responsible for the government’s performance in the upper house where the opposition is stronger. However, Patil seems confident. “And I am sure, I will be able to handle Opposition onslaught.”
Who is Chandrakant Patil?
Son of a Mumbai dockyard worker, Chandrakant Patil started as a student leader in 1980 with ABVP. He was national general secretary of the students’ movement in 1993 after which he moved to Kolhapur and started his own business. Patil has worked to strengthen the RSS in the region.
His organisational skills are highly appreciated. He also enjoys a good rapport with BJP president Amit Shah. Apart from handling cooperatives and textile departments, he has also been the guardian minister of Kolhapur and Sangli districts for the past two years. He also played crucial role in building “Mahayuti” by bringing smaller sub-regional parties into the NDA fold.