Pune: Amit Shah trying to checkmate Sharad Pawar, uses Mohol as his pawn

Pune: Union Home Minister Amit Shah is trying to checkmate NCP (SP) President Sharad Pawar in western Maharashtra after a major setback to the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections. It seems Shah is not leaving any stone unturned to turn the tables on the opposition MVA in the State Assembly elections.

His first move was to appoint first-time MP Murlidhar Mohol, a Maratha face, as the Minister of State for Cooperation.

During his recent visit to Pune, Amit Shah held a dialogue with party leaders and took stock of the scenario. He also met NCP (AP) President and DyCM Ajit Pawar and had a closed-door meeting with him.

Shah addressed the office-bearers and workers of the BJP at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Sports Complex in Balewadi. He stayed at a five-star hotel on Senapati Bapat Road and conducted several meetings. His focus has been on the cooperation sector, which has played an important role, particularly in the sugar belt of Maharashtra. The strategy is to end Sharad Pawar’s dominance in the sector. Murlidhar Mohol has been briefed and given an important role in the game plan.

Shah held meetings with office-bearers of the BJP and the RSS on Saturday evening. Discussions centred around the State polls. On Sunday morning, he held parleys with DyCM Ajit Pawar. Sources said that they discussed seat-sharing. The BJP is likely to contest six out of 10 seats in Pune. The NCP (AP) may get two seats.

The cooperation sector has deep roots in western Maharashtra. Therefore, the BJP finds it difficult to win here. The BJP tried to enter the sector by taking along leaders from the Congress and the NCP. It partially succeeded in it. But the BJP received a big setback in the Lok Sabha elections. Hence, Amit Shah is personally taking interest in this region.

Sources from the BJP said that six leading sugar barons from Maharashtra met Shah on Sunday morning. The sources refused to identify them. Top secrecy is being maintained about this. Some of them are likely to be fielded by the BJP from Sangli and Kolhapur.

Western Maharashtra has 58 assembly seats. Therefore, the BJP has focused on this region. Mohol has been entrusted with the responsibility as the coordinator with the central leadership during the State Assembly elections. There is a good network of sugar mills and cooperative banks in the region. Mohol is being groomed to end Sharad Pawar’s dominance in western Maharashtra.