Sena, BJP ministers in ‘letter war’ over powers

In his letter to Misal, Shirsat, a Shiv Sena minister, told her she needed his permission before taking meetings in his department. He also alleged that she was overstepping by giving directions to officers in the department. Shirsat added that all meetings must be convened by him

MUMBAI: Social justice minister Sanjay Shirsat and his junior minister Madhuri Misal are locked in a turf war. Following a departmental meeting held by Misal, Shirsat wrote to her, saying she had no authority to either convene the meeting or give directives to the department. A BJP minister of state, Misal wrote back, saying she was well within her rights.

Mumbai, India – June 02, 2025: Maharashtra Minister for Social Justice, Sanjay Shirsat, addresses the media at his residence in Mumbai on Monday, June 02, 2025. (Photo by Bhushan Koyande/ Hindustan Times)

Misal also sought a clarification from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) on the powers conferred on her as a junior minister. Revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said the chief minister would look into the issue of power-sharing between cabinet ministers and their juniors in their respective departments.

In his letter to Misal, Shirsat, a Shiv Sena minister, told her she needed his permission before taking meetings in his department. He also alleged that she was overstepping by giving directions to officers in the department. Shirsat added that all meetings must be convened by him.

Misal was unfazed. She responded to Shirsat’s letter, saying that as minister of state, she was well within her rights to convene meetings. Although she denied she had given any directions in the meeting, she added that she could have issued an order if a matter brought before her called for one.

She pointed out that Shirsat, in fact, had no right to stop her from meeting with the department as he had not consulted chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on the division of work. And, yet, Shirsat told the media, “If she wanted to take a meeting, she should let him know.’’

The face-off comes amid a deepening rift between the BJP and Sena, allies in the Mahayuti government. Misal’s move is also seen as a possible attempt by the BJP to sideline Sena ministers, led by deputy chief minister and Sena chief Eknath Shinde.

As for Shirsat, the Sena minister has been courting controversy in the recent past. A video of him recently went viral online, where he was seen seated next to a bag of what appeared to be bundles of cash.

He was also served a notice by the income tax department for a sudden surge in his assets and income. In addition, Fadnavis has announced an investigation into a bid submitted by Shirsat’s son Siddhant during the auction of a hotel in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.

Most recently, Shirsat was pulled up by Shinde for tainting the image of the party and its alliance partner.