Amit Shah’s Raigad Luncheon Sparks Buzz of Mahayuti Tensions

Union Home Minister Amit Shah joined a luncheon hosted by NCP MP Sunil Tatkare at his Geetabagh residence in Sutarwadi, Raigad, on Saturday, stirring speculation amid simmering discord within the Mahayuti alliance.

Accompanied by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, and other leaders, Shah’s visit followed a tribute to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Raigad fort on his 345th death anniversary.

The gathering drew attention due to ongoing rifts over guardian minister appointments for Raigad and Nashik districts. In January, CM Fadnavis paused NCP’s Aditi Tatkare and BJP’s Girish Mahajan’s nominations for these roles after objections from Shinde’s Shiv Sena. Despite the backdrop, Sunil Tatkare insisted the lunch was apolitical, stating, “The guardian minister issue wasn’t discussed.”

However, Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Shirsat asserted that Raigad’s guardian minister post would go to his party, with Bharat Gogawale a frontrunner. The Mahayuti coalition—comprising BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP—has faced strains since forming the government in December 2024. Other attendees included state ministers Shivendrasinh Bhosale, Ashish Shelar, and Union Minister Murlidhar Mohol.

While Tatkare downplayed political undertones, the high-profile meet underscores delicate alliance dynamics as Mahayuti navigates internal power struggles ahead of future electoral battles.