Rumblings in Mahayuti after NCP turns down Minister of State offer

The Ajit Pawar-led NCP, a part of the ruling Mahayuti coalition in the state, didn't make it to PM Modi’s council of ministers

Mumbai: The Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), a part of the ruling Mahayuti coalition in the state, failed to make it to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s new council of ministers after senior leader Praful Patel rejected an offer to take oath as minister of state with independent charge, according to people aware of the matter.

Mumbai, India - July 2, 2023: NCP leader and newly appointed Dy CM Ajit Pawar, NCP MP Praful Patel and NCP MLA and minsiter Chhagan Bhujbal addressing to media during press conference at Sahayadri Guest House, Malbar Hill, in Mumbai, India, on Sunday, July 2, 2023. (Photo by Anshuman Poyrekar/ Hindustan Times) (Hindustan Times)

Patel, who was minister for 10 years in Manmohan Singh-led UPA government -- from May 2004 to January 2011 he was a minister of state (independent charge) handling civil aviation, and a Cabinet minister from January 2011 to May 2014 handling which heavy industries and public enterprises -- called the offer of the new post a “demotion”.

The party is now hoping to make up the loss by bargaining harder during the expansion of the state Cabinet in Maharashtra, and to somehow have Patel accommodated whenever the Union Cabinet is expanded.

The NCP, which contested four seats and won only one (Raigad constituency), registered the poorest strike rate among the state’s ruling alliance of the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Shiv Sena and the NCP. The biggest blow to the faction was not being able to win the Baramati constituency, where Ajit Pawar’s wife Sunetra lost in a prestige battle to Supriya Sule, who is Sharad Pawar’s daughter, representing the Nationalist Congress Party-Sharad Pawar (NCP-SP).

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Ajit Pawar walked out of NCP-led by his uncle and party founder Sharad Pawar in June 2022 and was sworn in the Eknath Shinde-led state government. Later over 40 of total 54 party MLAs joined him amid the legal battle between two faction over the real party status. election commission of India ruled in favour of Ajit Pawar alloting the faction the party name and symbol. Ajit and Sharad Pawar led factions fought Lok Sabha elections against each other in Baramati, Shirur and both the seats went to the senior pawar.

Despite its poor showing, the faction was pushing hard for a Cabinet berth for Patel. “We received a call from BJP offering us the MoS with independent charge. I was a Cabinet minister (in the UPA government) and this would have been a demotion for me. We have been told by the BJP leadership to wait for a few days until some remedial measures were taken,” Patel told reporters.

The the decision to walk away from the Union council of ministers of has led to some disquiet within the NCP, with some leaders asking why the party did not choose to push Sunil Tatkare, a two-term MP from Raigad, if Patel was not willing to take the offer of MoS with independent charge.

Some other leaders, however, understood the BJP’s rationale.

“We were assured respectable representation in governments at the state and Centre. We were told by the BJP leadership that a Cabinet minister berth to us would disturb the formula finalised for the allies for the induction in the Cabinet. Alliance partners have been offered one berth per five MPs and even Eknath Shinde-led Sena has got one berth of MoS with independent charge,” said a leader who asked not to be named.

Shinde’s Sena contested 15 LS seats, and won seven. Party’s seniormost and four-time MP from Buldhana, Prataprao Jadhav, has been inducted into the council of ministers.

“We offered them a MoS berth, but it would have a demotion for Praful Patel who was a cabinet minister earlier. It would have been difficult for us to change the formula for one alliance partner. NCP will be accommodated during the next expansion of the Cabinet,” BJP leader and deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said.