Eknath Shinde maintains ‘distance’ from meeting in Delhi to finalise portfolio distribution in Maharastra

To decide on portfolio distribution to Maharashtra ministers CM Fadnavis heads to Delhi. Maharashtra’s ruling parties are negotiating ministerial berths and key portfolios, with disputes persisting as CM Fadnavis heads to Delhi for resolution.

After a long discussion state party leadership finally reached a consensus on the sharing of ministerial berths and the top three portfolios, Maharashtra’s three ruling parties have sought the intervention of central BJP leaders on certain contentious issues that remain. However dispute over certain departments still persists and to resolve it chief minister Devendra Fadnavis proceeded to Delhi on Wednesday for a two-day visit. Fadnavis was accompanied by deputy CM Ajit Pawar but Eknath Shinde maintained distance over the issue and chose not to go.

According to sources, Fadnavis, Shinde and Ajit have agreed on 22 berths going to the BJP, 11 to the Shiv Sena and 10 to the NCP. The maximum strength of the ministerial council permissible in Maharashtra, including the chief minister, is 43.

The number of berths per party could still change. According to BJP leaders, if the Sena and NCP push for more berths, they will have to settle for comparatively insignificant portfolios. As regards the key portfolios, the BJP has kept the home department while the revenue department too is expected to be retained by it. Shinde, who was pushing for home, has been given the urban development department, while the finance department will go to the NCP.

Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar were expected to meet union home minister Amit Shah and BJP president J P Nadda on Wednesday night or early Thursday morning. Shinde was also expected to attend the meeting restrained himself. According to his close aides, apart from the urban development department, he was offered no other significant portfolio. He was keen on a few departments—revenue, public works, including MSRDC, housing and energy—but the BJP did not accept the demand. Shinde is also unhappy with the BJP’s condition that he drop leaders who faced corruption charges in the last government.

“In fact, Shinde is quite upset at the way he has been treated in the whole deal,” said his close aide. “He has to haggle for everything. He feels he has not been given his due share in power though he went all out and contributed significantly to the Mahayuti’s victory in Maharashtra.” The deputy CM, thus did not go to Delhi, choosing to stay put at his Thane residence.
An NCP leader said that the major clash was between the BJP and Shiv Sena. “Our party has agreed to the berths offered and the names of those to be inducted also have been finalised,” he said.

Fadnavis, taking the needs of the winter session into consideration, has been insisting on inducting the maximum number of legislators from the three parties. The newly minted chief minister will hold a thanksgiving rally in Nagpur on Friday after returning from Delhi. The BJP leader quoted above said that the only day remaining for the swearing-in was Saturday. “If it does not happen on that day, it may be further delayed,” he said. “It will then take place only after the winter session ends on December 21.”