Who Is CM Eknath Shambaji Shinde? Tracing His Journey From An Auto-Driver To Maharashtra's New CM

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In a surprising twist in the history of Maharashtra politics, Shiv Shena's rebel leader Eknath Shinde became the new and the 20th Chief Minister of the state. The new political development comes a day after Uddhav Thackeray resigned as the CM which marked an end to the 31-month-old of Maha Vikas Aghadi government's rule in the state.

The news was announced by the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) leader Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday, 29 July at a Press Conference in Raj Bhawan. This was officiated by Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari.

Shinde was earlier the Cabinet Minister of Urban Development and Public Works in the Government Of Maharashtra. He is a Member of the Legislative Assembly from the Kopri-Pachpakhadi constituency of Thane, Maharashtra.

From being an auto-driver for a living to being someone holding a powerful position in the county, Ekanath Shinde's life has inspired millions. We have curated interesting facts through which we can trace his journey to this day.

• Eknath Shambaji Shinde was born on 09 February 1964 in Maharashtra. He hails from Jawali taluka in Satara. In order to earn a living, his family moved to Thane. He studied till 11th standard, from Mangala High School & Junior College, Thane and married Lata Eknath Shinde. They have a son named Shrikant Shinde.
• In his teens, Shinde worked as an auto-rickshaw driver and joined Shiv Sena in the 1980s. He was heavily influenced by Bal Thackeray, the founder of Shiv Sena and Anand Dighe, Shiv Sena's Thane district chief.
• He thrived and rose through the ranks after he launched the Labour Union for his party. In 1997, he got elected to the Thane Municipal Corporation where he was a Corporator. This gave him the necessary position to set up his base in the area. In 2002, he was elected for the second time for this position.
• In 2004, he won the Kopri-Pachpakhadi constituency of Thane in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly election and won this seat four consecutive times.
• In 2014, Shinde was appointed as the leader of the legislative party of Shiv Sena and the Leader of the opposition Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.
• In Uddhav Thackeray's MVA (Maha Vikas Aghadi), he served Urban as Development and Public Works (Public Undertakings)

Political Timeline

2022: Eknath Shinde serves as the 20th Chief Minister of Maharashtra
2020: Appointed guardian minister of Thane district
2019: Appointed Minister of Home Affairs(Acting) from 28 November- 30 December
2019: Appointed Minister of Urban Development and Public Works (Public Undertakings)
2019: Took oath as Cabinet Minister on 28 November under Maha-Vikas-Aghadi headed by Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray
2019: Elected to Maharashtra Legislative Assembly for the 4th consecutive time
2019: Cabinet Minister of Public Health and Family Welfare in Maharashtra State Government
2018: Appointed as Leader of Shiv Sena Party
2014: Appointed as Guardian minister of Thane District
2014: Appointed as Cabinet Minister of PWD in Maharashtra State Government
2014: Elected to Maharashtra Legislative Assembly for the 3rd time
2009: Elected to Maharashtra Legislative Assembly for the 2nd time
2005: Appointed Thane district head of Shiv Sena. First MLA to have been appointed at such a coveted post in the party
2004: Elected to Maharashtra Legislative Assembly for the 1st time, Leader of opposition Maharashtra Legislative Assembly
2002: Elected to Thane Municipal Corporation for the second time
2001: Elected to the post of the leader of the house in Thane Municipal Corporation
1997: Elected to Thane Municipal Corporation as corporator for the first time

Image source: PTI