The Fall of Grace: Maharashtra’s Political Culture at a Crossroad

Maharashtra’s hallowed political culture is increasingly buffeted by strife and scandal.

Maharashtra, long considered a beacon of political maturity and reformist governance, is in the throes of moral and administrative decay. Under Devendra Fadnavis, once hailed as one of India’s more competent and courteous political leaders, the state appeared to have charted a policy-driven, principle-based course. But a rash of recent controversies suggests that the rot may be setting in not at the bottom, but at the very top.

Far from embodying discipline and ethics, the ruling coalition now resembles a theatre of impunity. Ministers and MLAs from across the alliance have either courted controversy or invited disgrace, with little censure and even less accountability. The fallout risks damaging not just the credibility of the government but the very architecture of public office in the state.

The July 2025 incident involving Sanjay Gaikwad, an MLA from the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction), was particularly egregious. A video showed him violently assaulting a canteen worker at the MLA hostel over allegedly stale food. Rather than express remorse, Gaikwad bragged: “I’m a fighter, and I’ll do it again.” It was not his first public outburst. He has previously issued threats and made derogatory remarks about voters. Despite the severity of the assault, neither his party nor the legislature has acted decisively. While a belated FIR was filed, critics say it is too little, too late.

Another episode unfolded in the state assembly’s lobby, where BJP MLA Gopichand Padalkar clashed with NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) supporters in what resembled a schoolyard brawl. Padalkar apologised, but Deputy Council Chair Neelam Gorhe called it a “breach of all legislative protocol.”

Then came a viral video featuring Social Justice Minister Sanjay Shirsat with a large bag stuffed with bundles of cash. No formal complaint has been filed, and no charges proved, but the optics were damaging. The silence from the top brass including Fadnavis and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde has been conspicuous. In politics, what is not denied is often taken as tacitly condoned.

Compounding the turmoil is a murky ‘honey-trap’ scandal. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut claimed at least four ministers were being blackmailed through a coordinated operation that began during the state’s power struggle. Fadnavis acknowledged a complaint from Nashik but denied any orchestrated conspiracy. Still, speculation runs rife. Are these allegations merely a smokescreen? Or do they hint at deeper intrigue?

Agriculture Minister Manikrao Kokate, of the NCP–Ajit Pawar faction, has his own share of trouble. He was caught on camera apparently playing rummy on his phone during a legislative session, later attributing it to a YouTube ad. His explanation convinced few. Worse, Kokate has been convicted in a decades-old document forgery case involving EWS flat allocation. Though the court has stayed his sentence, the conviction alone raises questions about his fitness for public office. His outburst calling the government a “beggar” over crop insurance enraged Fadnavis, but concrete action remains pending.

Even more damaging are revelations about Yogesh Kadam, a junior minister from the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction), who holds the Home and Revenue portfolios. A dance bar in Mumbai allegedly operated under a licence in his mother’s name, apparently a conflict of interest. A police raid in May revealed over 40 violations of licensing norms. Kadam also stands accused of diverting desilted sand, meant for farmers, to his family-run dental college in a misuse of public resources, claim activists like Anjali Damania.

Yet again, neither Fadnavis nor Shinde has said much. Kadam’s continued presence in government reflects a larger malaise of the erosion of accountability.

These incidents raise a sobering question: is Devendra Fadnavis losing his grip on the administration or is he hemmed in by a coalition where power is too widely diffused to allow discipline?

Fadnavis retains charge of the Home Ministry, theoretically giving him the authority to act. But many of the errant ministers (Gaikwad and Kadam included) belong to the Shinde-led Shiv Sena. Taking firm action risks upsetting a delicate power balance and potentially unravelling the alliance. Similarly, Ajit Pawar’s faction may resist BJP attempts at enforcement.

This fragmented authority makes it difficult for Fadnavis to project the firm leadership that once defined him. The result is a growing public perception of a government that tolerates misbehaviour, if not rewards it.

Some suggest that the scandals engulfing Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) ministers may serve a strategic purpose. By allowing media and public anger to fester, Fadnavis may be quietly weakening Shinde’s hold, paving the way for a recalibration of power within the coalition. If true, it is a dangerous game wherein institutional credibility is the collateral damage. If, on the other hand, Fadnavis is simply paralysed by political arithmetic, the consequences may be no less grave. Maharashtra’s reputation for sober, sensible politics is already fraying. The rot is not just individual but systemic.

This is a moment of reckoning. For Fadnavis, the choice is stark: enforce ethical governance at the risk of rupture, or prioritise coalition comfort over public trust. For Shinde, the question is whether he will clean house or allow the culture of impunity to deepen. And for Maharashtra’s citizens, tired of drama and sleaze, the hope is simple: less spectacle, more statecraft.

(The Writer is a communication professional. Views Personal.)