HM Shah to visit Raigad Fort today in Maha to pay tributes to Shivaji Maharaj

New Delhi, April 12 (IANS) Union Home Minister Amit Shah is on a two-day visit to Maharashtra, with his itinerary on Saturday centred around paying homage to the legendary Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on his 345th death anniversary.

HM Shah will visit the memorial of Jijamata, Shivaji Maharaj’s revered mother, in Raigad district around 10:30 a.m. He will then proceed to the historic Raigad Fort, the former capital of the Maratha Empire, to attend a series of commemorative events.

The visit holds immense cultural and political significance. At Raigad Fort, HM Shah is scheduled to offer floral tributes at the samadhi (memorial) of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, honouring the enduring legacy of one of India's most iconic historical figures.

Later in the day, HM Shah is also expected to visit Sutarwadi for a lunch meeting at the residence of Sunil Tatkare, NCP state president and Member of Parliament from Raigad.

The invitation was extended personally by Tatkare and accepted by Shah, a gesture that has piqued political interest given the ongoing tensions within the ruling Mahayuti alliance.

HM Shah landed in Pune on Friday evening and was received by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. His visit comes at a time when internal discord within the state’s ruling coalition comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction), and the NCP (Ajit Pawar faction), has intensified, especially over the unresolved issue of the guardian ministership for Raigad district.

The power tussle began earlier this year when Deputy CM Eknath Shinde opposed the appointment of NCP leader Aditi Tatkare, daughter of Sunil Tatkare, as Raigad’s guardian minister.

This led to Fadnavis putting appointments for both Raigad and Nashik districts on hold, further straining ties within the alliance.

--IANS

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