Mumbai: Just a day after Atishi Singh was installed as a Delhi Chief Minister (CM), the debate on the possibility of a woman CM in Maharashtra has sparked significant interest and engagement in the state’s political circles.
The upcoming Assembly election in Maharashtra is of utmost importance, as rumblings in the corridors of power suggest that India’s financial capital might have its first woman Chief Minister if some had their way.
The change in Delhi triggered Congress MP Varsha Gaikwad and former state cabinet minister Rashmi Thackeray to strongly advocate for a woman Chief Minister by naming NCP SP MP Supriya Sule and Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray’s wife Rashmi Thackeray as possible Chief Minister candidates in Maharashtra.
However, Shiv Sena leader and former Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar, though agreeing to Gaikwad’s argument in favour of a women’s Chief Minister, also clarified that Rashmi Thackeray’s name should not be there, citing that she had never shown interest in active politics.
“I will be very happy if Maharashtra gets its first woman Chief Minister. Maharashtra is a state that gives opportunities to women. Maharashtra was the first to pass the reservation bill, giving representation to women. So I would like to see a woman become the Chief Minister after the election,” said Gaikwad.
She also named Supriya Sule from NCP and Rashmi Thackeray from Shiv Sena UBT as her pick for the post of Chief Minister.
While defending her move to name Supriya Sule and Rashmi Thackeray as possible Chief Minister nominees, Gaikwad took a dig at the BJP, saying that the party did not give a ministerial berth to a woman legislator during the MahaYuti government.
When asked whether she would want to be the Chief Minister, Gaikwad said, “I am a Congress worker. We have several candidates for the Chief Minister’s post. But as per the party’s customary tradition, MLAs decide the candidate for the Chief Minister post after the election.”
However, Pednekar reiterated that she favours a woman becoming the state Chief Minister but claimed Rashmi Thackeray should not be dragged into this.
“Rashmi Thackeray never showed interest in politics. The fact that she is always with her husband does not mean that she is active in politics. There should be a woman Chief Minister in Maharashtra. However, Rashmi Thackeray’s name should not be discussed without any reason,” she said.
Gaikwad’s move to start a debate is important, especially since Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray was insisting that the Maha Vikas Aghadi declare the Chief Minister’s face before the election.
However, Congress and NCP SP rejected Thackeray’s proposal, saying that the elected representatives would decide on the Chief Minister’s face after the election.
NCP SP chief Sharad Pawar and his daughter and party MP Supriya Sule announced that the party is not interested in the Chief Minister’s post while putting the ball in the court of Congress and Shiv Sena UBT.
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—IANS
