New to role, Thackeray treads cautiously as CM

MUMBAI: Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, who said he was new to “political power”, has spent the first 100 days testing the waters of governance.

Thackeray, who had never held administrative office before becoming the chief minister, spent the initial days getting acquainted with the procedures, reviewing projects and plans, and tackling the challenges faced by the three-party Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government. For Thackeray, aligning with parties, who were once ideological opponents, was a political gamble taken to “fulfil the promise given to his father”. Another challenge was that he accepted the role of the chief minister in a coalition government.

Thackeray is focusing on people-centric policies and announcements, including providing subsidised meals across the state, opening the CM’S secretariat at all divisional offices and farm loan waiver. He has also reversed a few decisions of the previous government and scrapped Jalyukt Shivar.

With Thackeray still in the learning and reviewing mode, deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar seems to be taking control of the administrative affairs.

Pawar reviewed some of the key departments, besides his portfolio of finance and planning. The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) also managed to get a key project — Dr Babashaeb Ambedkar memorial — from the Senacontrolled urban development department to social justice department headed by NCP’S Dhananjay Munde. Thackeray’s cabinet colleagues said the chief minister has taken a “cautious” but “firm” approach.

A senior minister of the MVA government, who did not wish to be named, said, “His approach was cautious, but it is a firm beginning. Naturally if someone has no prior experience of the workings of the government, he would take time to get acquainted. But it would be wrong to say that the government is slow in decision-making.” According to senior bureaucrats, the chief minister has to be briefed in detail about projects or development. Thackeray is also said to be very cautious while signing files, insiders say. Among the challenges for the chief minister in the brief period in power has been to balance the political ideology of his party and the government. On the issue of the Citizenship

Amendment Act, National Registry of Citizens, National Population Register, Bhima-koregaon and Elgar Parishad case, etc. the government has been seen talking in different voices.

According to political observers, Thackeray has treaded cautiously in this initial period. “This cautious approach gives an impression that the government is slow or has not taken decisions. In fact, lack of experience is an advantage for Uddhav Thackeray as people would give him a long rope if there are any controversial decisions. He is keen to learn which is a good sign. He is extremely cautious in charting any map as to not get embroiled in any controversy,” said Surendra Jondhale, a political analyst. With the three parties still learning to deal with each other, the road ahead for Thackeray would be challenging. Thackeray would soon have to get into policy decisions, tackle issues such as growing unemployment, affordable housing, etc. Jondhale said Thackeray would have to steer the state government deftly on national issues, including CAA-NRCNPR, which the Congress is “touchy” about. He would also have to tackle the Bhima-koregaon and Elgar Parishad cases tactfully, as NCP chief Sharad Pawar is closely monitoring it to expand its political base, he said.

THE CM HAS TO BE BRIEFED IN DETAIL ABOUT PROJECTS. HE IS SAID TO BE CAUTIOUS WHILE SIGNING FILES