MUMBAI: The tussle in Mahayuti over posts of guardian ministers continued almost two weeks after cabinet portfolios were allocated.
Shiv Sena minister Bharat Gogawale on Wednesday reiterated that he’s the senior-most MLA in Raigad and will surely be appointed the district’s guardian minister, but NCP minister Aditi Tatkare is poised to lock horns with him for the post.
Backing deputy CM Ajit Pawar as Pune guardian minister, NCP minister Dattatraya Bharne said: “There is no dispute regarding this post…CM Devendra Fadnavis will take the right decision.” BJP’s Chandrakant Patil, however, is also eyeing this post. There is a major tussle in Satara district too. Out of eight MLAs there, four are now ministers.
In Beed, there is strong opposition to NCP’s Dhananjay Munde for guardian ministership after the murder of a sarpanch, Santosh Deshmukh. And in Nashik, NCP minister Manikrao Kokate said the party will continue its claim on guardian ministership as they have a maximum of seven MLAs in the district, while BJP and Sena have five and two MLAs, respectively.
There are 42 ministers, but 12 districts don’t have representation in govt. Many districts have multiple ministers, leading to a tussle over them. Sena minister Shambhuraje Desai said: “The decision regarding guardian ministerships will be taken jointly by Fadnavis, Shinde, and Ajit Pawar.”
