The BJP in Maharashtra has begun an effort to mend fences with its Mahayuti allies – Shiv Sena and the NCP – with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis convening a coordination committee meeting on Monday, which was attended by Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar.Sources said the move comes days after Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s Chhatron Ki Goonj programme in Pune, which drew a strong response from students. “It has prompted the BJP to take note of his growing appeal among the younger generation,” a source said.AdvertisementThe outreach also comes with a promise that coordination committee meetings will now be a regular affair and alliance partners would be consulted on administrative and governance matters while ensuring commitments made to them are fulfilled.Read | After Rahul Gandhi’s nudge, Maharashtra scraps age limit for tribal hostel admissionsThe coordination committee, headed by Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule and comprising representatives of all three ruling parties, has existed for some time.In the past, its meetings were largely focused on issues such as seat-sharing during elections. Monday’s meeting, however, assumed greater significance amid growing tensions within the alliance and increasing challenges from the Opposition.AdvertisementAt the end of the two-hour meeting, held at Fadnavis’s official residence Varsha, the BJP sought to reassure its allies that it would work with them to fulfil commitments made to the alliance as well as to voters. The emphasis, sources said, was on working and taking decisions together as an alliance.Ironing out issuesBawankule said the three parties had collectively decided that their leaders and ministers would not criticise one another publicly. “This is one rule which all three parties will strictly follow in the coming days,” he added.He also announced that appointments to 171 state-run corporations would be completed within a month. In another significant decision, all local body elections, including panchayat elections, will be contested jointly by the Mahayuti partners.The appointments to state corporations have been a longstanding source of friction within the alliance. After the Mahayuti returned to power following the 2024 Assembly elections, the issue was kept in abeyance amid concerns within the leadership that those denied positions could turn against the government. There were also apprehensions that political appointments could invite allegations of corruption.With the government facing growing political challenges, however, the three parties have now agreed to accommodate their respective workers through these appointments. The move is also being viewed as an attempt to reinforce power-sharing within the alliance in proportion to the parties’ electoral strength. The BJP is likely to retain the largest share of the corporations, followed by Shiv Sena and the NCP, in a proposed 50:30:20 ratio.Numerically, the Fadnavis government remains stable. The BJP has 132 seats in the 288-member Assembly and, with the support of Independents and smaller parties, can cross the majority mark of 145 even without Shiv Sena’s 57 and NCP’s 41 MLAs. Yet, the BJP’s decision to reach out to its allies reflects a recognition that political stability alone does not eliminate the need for a cohesive coalition.A Shiv Sena minister, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the BJP had been confident after the 2024 Assembly elections and had even discussed contesting the 2029 elections on its own. “After the 2024 Assembly polls, the BJP was on a high pedestal. They were super confident and were saying they would contest the 2029 polls solo. They were systematically trying to sideline us in the name of political expansion,” the minister said.He added that the growing political activity by the Congress and the challenges being raised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) had forced the BJP to reassess its approach. “I am glad they have acknowledged the importance of working together,” he said.NCP seeks finance portfolioThe NCP, meanwhile, has sought a greater role in government decision-making. A senior NCP minister who attended Monday’s meeting said the party expected the finance portfolio, which was held by Ajit Pawar till his death in January, to be handed over to it. Currently, Fadnavis holds the portfolio.“At least now they should concede the finance minister portfolio, which is our right. The big-brother attitude works when you don’t have opposition. As compared to the BJP, which is under attack from many fronts, alliance partners have reasons to drive decision-making in government. But we are just asking for our rights,” he said.There are also differences within the alliance over the allocation of development funds. Bawankule said a formula had been agreed upon under which up to 70% of district-level development funds under the plan would go directly to local MLAs, while the remaining 30%would be distributed among the alliance partners by the district’s guardian minister.The issue had gained prominence after Ajit Pawar’s death, with NCP MLAs repeatedly raising concerns over the release of funds. Shiv Sena legislators have also voiced similar complaints.BJP leaders, however, maintain that friction is inherent in any coalition. “Every leader and MLA wants maximum funds or projects for their respective constituencies. It is natural. But those at the helm have limitations. They have to manage with available funds,” a BJP leader said.Collective responsibilityyou may likeThe BJP’s attempt to bring the three parties closer also reflects a desire to ensure that the government shares responsibility for both its achievements and failures. Another BJP leader pointed out that the School Education Department is held by a Shiv Sena minister, and therefore the BJP and NCP cannot distance themselves from failures in the department.“If there is a failure, it cannot simply be attributed to the Shiv Sena because the minister belongs to that party. All three parties are part of the government and have to share responsibility and accountability,” the leader said.Apart from the Congress and the CJP, the government faces another potential challenge from activist Manoj Jarange Patil over the Maratha reservation issue. His threat to launch an indefinite protest could add to the pressure on the government, making greater coordination among the three Mahayuti partners more important.