The politics in the state, at least in the immediate future, is likely to revolve around chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray in the light of Shinde’s poaching expeditions.The politics of poachingAs the Sena chief’s attempt to net six Sena (UBT) MPs succeeded, there were contrasting claims made from both the camps. While Sena leaders pointed out how Shinde and his close aides handled the entire operation without any help from the BJP, several BJP leaders have been insisting that such an operation was not possible without the CM’s support.Close aides of Fadavis say he had to convince two Sena (UBT) MPs who were unwilling to cross over. It was only after his intervention that the magic number of six was reached to complete the split, they said. Similar claims are now being made about what Sena leaders are referring to as the next phase of ‘Operation Tiger’, which will involve Shiv Sena (UBT) MLAs. Fadnavis aides are stressing that any such attempt would not succeed without the CM’s help and he is not in favour of it considering the reaction from the people to the defection of Sena (UBT) MPs. Political circles were abuzz on Friday evening as Fadnavis and Thackeray both travelled by the same plane to Nagpur. While both the camps said it was just a coincidence, leaders from Shiv Sena were quick to dismiss any Fadnavis-Thackeray axis against Shinde as is being speculated. Significantly, in his public rallies, Thackeray has begun saying that Operation Tiger is actually Operation Devendra, in a reference to the biggest speculation in the state—whether Shinde would get the chief ministership as ‘return gift’ from BJP for getting six MPs to the NDA.Shrikant Shinde’s pilgrimageAmidst the buzz that he would be inducted as a cabinet minister in the next union cabinet reshuffle expected soon, Kalyan MP and deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde’s son Shrikant Shinde, went to get some divine blessings in Andhra Pradesh. On Thursday, he visited the famous Tirupati temple. Later, he visited Durga Malleshwari temple at Vijaywada and Shani Shingnapur temple in Ahilyanagar. Among those who undertook this pilgrimage with Shinde junior was the recently defected Sena (UBT) MP Omraje Nimbalkar, fuelling speculations that he would be get a berth in the union council of ministers which is apparently being given to one of the six defected MPs. If he manages to get the berth, the other two aspirants, Parbhani MP Sanjay Jadhav and Mumbai north east MP Sanjay Patil, may be left wondering if they too should have made the pilgrimage to Tirupati.Proud daughter For IAS officer Prajakta Lavangare-Verma, taking charge of her latest posting as additional municipal commissioner in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) last Wednesday was an emotional moment.Her father, Ramchandrarao and mother Shaila, both served in the Mumbai civic body. Her father retired as deputy superintendent in the tax department in 2008 while her mother was a nurse in Bhagwati Hospital of the BMC. Coincidentally, as additional municipal commissioner, she is in charge of both the assessment and tax collection departments as well as civic hospitals. “It was indeed an emotional moment to serve where my parents worked. I always wanted to serve in the BMC at least once,” she said.The controversy in PuneA programme organised by the state-run Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Research Training and Human Development Institute (SARTHI) in Pune to felicitate students for their success in competitive examinations was embroiled in an unnecessary controversy. BJP’s Rajya Sabha MP Medha Kulkarni and MLA Abhimanyu Pawar were involved in a public spat over seating arrangement on the dais. Kulkarni who is based in Pune, alleged that Abhimanyu Pawar told her not to sit in the front row along with CM Devendra Fadnavis, deputy CM Sunetra Pawar and others since it was a programme of the Maratha community and it could create a controversy. She alleged Pawar did not want her to sit there since she was a Brahmin and he was playing a Maratha vs Brahmin caste card. A fuming Kulkarni then left the venue. Pawar said he told Kulkarni to sit in the second row as legislator Narendra Patil, who heads a corporation for Maratha community, had to be accommodated in the front row. Ironically, the controversy over castes happened on the birth anniversary of – and in an institute named after - Shahu Maharaj, a social reformer who is credited for playing a significant role in bringing equality among castes in Maharashtra.