Sainiks left out of cabinet: Saamana editorial

An editorial in party mouthpiece Saamana on Tuesday said the sentiment in the party was that “original Shiv Sainiks” could not be inducted into CM Uddhav Thackeray’s

An editorial in party mouthpiece Saamana on Tuesday said the sentiment in the party was that “original Shiv Sainiks” could not be inducted into CM Uddhav Thackeray’s team, but attributed it to the need to accommodate independent lawmakers who support the Shiv Sena-led coalition.

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Aspiring Sena MLAs, Tanaji Sawant, Sunil Prabhu and Bhaskar Jadhav, are also said to be upset for being overlooked for ministerial berths and were not present at the swearing-in ceremony. Ravindra Waikar, who is considered close to Thackeray, was also surprisingly dropped from the list.

Senior Sena leader Sanjay Raut was reportedly upset over his brother and MLA Sunil Raut not being given ministership. Raut, who was one of the key architects of the MVA alliance, skipped the swearing-in ceremony. Raut is also the executive editor of Saamana.

“Diwakar Raote, Ramdas Kadam, Tanaji Sawant, Deepak Kesarkar and Ravindra Waikar did not get another chance from the Shiv Sena.

Yuva Sena chief Aaditya Thackeray became the MLA for the first time and now he’s in the cabinet... With independents namely Bachchu Kadu, Shankarrao.

Gadakh and Rajendra Yedravkar becoming ministers from the Shiv Sena quota, original Shiv Sainiks lost the opportunity. Probably that is why Shiv Sena’s lone MLA from Kolhapur, Prakash Abitkar did not get a chance,” the editorial said.