Two weeks after Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray was sworn-in, the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi government allocated portfolios to the six ministers from three parties who took oath along with him. While Shiv Sena has got Home and Urban Development departments, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has bagged finance and housing, and Congress has got revenue and energy.
Chief Minister Thackeray has not kept any portfolio with him and has distributed all the departments to the six ministers. Senior Shiv Sena minister Eknath Shinde has been allocated home, urban development, environment, water supply along with six other departments. His party colleague Subhash Desai will handle industries, agriculture, higher and technical education, transport and eight other departments.
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NCP leader and legislative party leader Jayant Patil has been given finance, housing, public health, cooperation with four other department. His party colleague and former deputy chief minister Chhagan Bhujbal has been given rural development, water resources, social justice and four other portfolios.
Congress state chief and party’s legislative party leader Balasaheb Thorat is the minister of revenue, power, medical education and school education along with three other departments. Congress’ second minister Nitin Raut has been allocated Public Works Department (PWD), tribal development, women and child welfare, textiles along with other two departments.
The allocation is believed to have been done for the time being until the scheduled cabinet expansion by the month end. “This is an arrangement for about 10-12 days until the next cabinet expansion. There would be changes and interchanges in the allocation of the departments,” said Bhujbal.
The allocation was delayed due to the tussle between NCP and Shiv Sena over home department. The NCP is believed to have settled for an additional department in lieu of the Home department. Sharad Pawar’s party is believed to have bagged 16 ministerial berths while Shiv Sena has kept 15. Congress has got 12 ministerial berths.
{{/usCountry}}The allocation was delayed due to the tussle between NCP and Shiv Sena over home department. The NCP is believed to have settled for an additional department in lieu of the Home department. Sharad Pawar’s party is believed to have bagged 16 ministerial berths while Shiv Sena has kept 15. Congress has got 12 ministerial berths.
{{/usCountry}}“We are happy with the allocation. We never insisted for any particular department as our primary aim was to keep BJP outside the power,” NCP leader Jayant Patil told HT.