Freebies and promises made for electoral gains before the Assembly polls by the Mahayuti alliance are becoming slow-tightening nooses around the partners’ necks.

Last year, the Maharashtra government generously announced a slew of freebies before the Assembly polls. Those decisions helped the BJP, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar-led NCP win a mammoth mandate — 233 of the 288 assembly seats in Maharashtra. But, things that propelled their comeback to power have now started straining the finance department and eventually turning out to be one of the reasons for the rift and widening of the gap between the Mahayuti alliance partners.

Within the first six months of government formation, ministers from Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s camp on several occasions accused Finance Minister Ajit Pawar of slashing funds for their departments. But, circumstances are such that the “triple-engine sarkar” has no choice but to exhibit cohesiveness for another four-and-a-half years, a long and challenging journey.