As soon as we welcomed the year 2020, an epidemic called COVID-19 created a furore nationwide. In the midst of the havoc of coronavirus, several incidents occurred in the political corridor of the state in the last year. In Maharashtra, although many politicians were in news all through 2020, here are the 20 leaders who were in the limelight for various reasons:
1) Sharad Pawar: NCP Supremo Sharad Pawar, who brought Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government into existence by bringing new political equations in the state, continued to dominate the state government in 2020 as before. After the unlock amid the pandemic, when Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray was attacked for sitting at home, Sharad Pawar gave the clarification that Thackeray is running the government from home and I am watching the functioning of the government from outside. Sharad Pawar, who is called the grandfather of the state government, was viewed by the people of the state as a super chief minister.
2) Uddhav Thackeray: The Uddhav Thackeray led MVA government was formed on November 28, 2019 as a three party alliance – Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress. The people of the state felt that this government would do a good job. However, the COVID crisis wreaked havoc on the government. Meanwhile, the oppositions left no stones unturned to backlash Uddhav Thackeray over the lack of chief ministerial experience. While the Uddhav Thackeray-led government has claimed that it did a good job to control the COVID-19 situation, but the opposition alleges that Uddhav Thackeray acted like a weak Chief Minister.
3) Nana Patole: Nana Patole, who was part of the Congress camp in the state government, worked uninterrupted as the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly. Patole stroke a balance between the government and the opposition during the session of the state assembly, which was lauded. Nana Patole, who was elected from Lakhni assembly constituency in Bhandara district of Vidarbha, has played an important role in silencing the aggression of opposition party leader Devendra Fadnavis during the session.
4) Anil Deshmukh: Home Minister Anil Deshmukh did a great job during the pandemic, claimed the state government. The strategy made by the Home Minister for the return of migrant labourers to their home during the lockdown due to COVID-19 was appreciated by the MVA government. However, thousands of people from Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and other provinces gathered at Bandra Terminus during lockdown over a rumour. Besides, the Home Minister was also questioned in the death case of two sadhus in Palghar.
5) Ajit Pawar: Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress leaders are more active than Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in the three party alliance government. At the time when the government was formed, Ajit Pawar, who did not join the government had raised doubts. Later, he became the Deputy Chief Minister in the MVA government. This post was kept vacant for a few days as it was said that he can change the path at any time.
6) Devendra Fadnavis: After the BJP-Shiv Sena got a clear majority in the 2019 assembly elections, it was almost certain that Devendra Fadnavis would take oath as the Chief Minister of the state. However, at the time Shiv Sena was determined to make its position at chief ministership. BJP did not accept this stubbornness of Shiv Sena. After that Shiv Sena formed the government with the help of NCP-Congress. Devendra Fadnavis termed the government created by disrespecting the mandate and kept a watch on the functioning of the government.
7) Rajesh Tope: Shiv Sena leader and state Health minister Rajesh Tope did very good work as the state's Health Minister in handling the pandemic situation. The government says that the Health Minister made every effort to stop the spread of coronavirus infection. He also used to constantly consult on how to control the COVID by giving a report to the Chief Minister for a long time.
8) Varsha Gaikwad: Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad, who joined the government from Congress quota, paid more attention to the safety of children than opening schools early in the state. During the corona crisis, there was always a consultation with the Chief Minister about how the online education system can be brought to the surface of reality. While on one hand, the work of Varsha Gaikwad was praised in the midst of the changed education system in 2020, on the other hand, the opposition mocked the minister for repeatedly changing the decision over opening education institutions.
9) Yashomati Thakur: Yashomati Thakur, who was inducted as Minister of Child and Family Welfare in the State Cabinet, had caught herself in trouble in the police assault incident. In this case, the opposition created a ruckus when Yashomati Thakur was given a clean chit. The government's silence on this issue also became a matter of discussion. Later, the matter subsided gradually.
10) Supriya Sule: The name of NCP Supremo Sharad Pawar's daughter and Baramati MP Supriya Sule also needs to be included in the 20 famous faces of 2020, because it was recently discussed that Sharad Pawar wants his daughter Supriya Sule to be seen as Maharashtra's first female Chief Minister. Whether Uddhav Thackeray and Ajit Pawar would be ready to give Supriya Sule the Chief Minister's chair, this discussion also made headlines of 2020. As even after 16 years in power, not a single NCP leader could make it to Chief Ministership. Hence, Sharad Pawar wants Supriya Sule to be the first woman Chief Minister of the state.
11) Parth Pawar: In the year 2020, Parth Pawar was one of the prominent leaders of the state. Partha Pawar's statement on several occasions has shut the mouth NCP leaders. Many a times, even Sharad Pawar was unhappy with Partha Pawar's statements. There were speculations that Parth Pawar, son of Ajit Pawar and grandson of Sharad Pawar, could leave his home party and join the BJP. However, it seems he has scrapped the idea of joining BJP now.
12) Sanjay Raut: Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut, who played an important role in the formation of MVA government, gained attention this year because he did not miss a single opportunity to respond to the opposition and count the achievements of the government. Shiv Sena MP was in the headlines after he demolished the office of actress Kangana Ranaut and also engaged in the war of words with Kangana, who called the condition of Mumbai as Pak Occupied Kashmir. Apart from this, Sanjay Raut took the help of the Sena mouthpiece Saamana to take a dig at Opposition.
13) Eknath Khadse: NCP leader Eknath Khadse, who was in the BJP for a long time, made a switch to the Sharad Pawar's party NCP in 2020. Due to the displeasure of former state chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, Eknath Khadse left the BJP and wore NCP’s watch.
14) Pankaja Munde: After Eknath Khadse left the BJP, it was speculated that Pankaja Munde might also quit the party. Pankaja has been sulking since she was defeated by his cousin Dhananjay Munde of NCP, in the 2019 Assembly election. She blamed her losing on sabotage, however, Pankaja Munde did not quit BJP after she was offered a role in the party at the national level.
15) Narayan Rane: BJP leader Narayan Rane did not remain very active after entering the party. But, in the death case of Sushant Singh Rajput and Disha Salian, Narayan Rane had clamoured that their suicide cases should be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and alleged that it was a murder.
16) Raosaheb Danve: Former Maharashtra State President of BJP Raosaheb Danve was in discussions due to his sharp statements last year. Danve is a minister in the Modi government at the Center and takes good care of the leaders who speak in opposition to the BJP. Even when Danve was the BJP state president, he used to respond to any comments of the opposing parties.
17) Urmila Matondkar: Actor-turned-politician Urmila Matondkar, who fought on the Congress ticket in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, joined Shiv Sena in 2020. However, it is not yet decided what responsibility Sena will entrust to Urmila Matondkar. Besides, her name has been nominated to the state legislative council from the Governor’s quota.
18) Vijay Wadettiwar: Minister for Relief and Rehabilitation Vijay Wadettiwar is also counted as active minister leader in 2020 to make the Chief Minister aware of the situation by visiting the affected areas after the terrible flood in Vidarbha region. Although the flood affected areas were also visited by Assembly Speaker Nana Patole and the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Devendra, the work of providing relief assistance to the flood affected people was completed as quickly as possible by the minister.
19) Bhai Jagtap: Considering the poor condition of the Congress in Mumbai, the decision to appoint a Bhai Jagtap as the new Mumbai party President was also one of the news of 2020. Bhai Jagtap is considered a leader with a gentle personality. Bhai Jagtap can do well to fill the new energy by accelerating the work, establishing unity in the party, so it was decided to hand over the command of Mumbai Congress to Bhai Jagtap.
20) Raj Thackeray: MNS chief Raj Thackeray's name was also included in the list of politicians of 2020. Raj Thackeray raised the issue to include Marathi language on various e-commerce platforms like Amazon. However, MNS was not very active in 2020, now it will be interesting to see how the party and Raj Thackeray's activism in Maharashtra politics increases in this year.
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