Maharashtra deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde attended a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, even as a group of Shiv Sena ministers stayed away amid tension following the induction of its four former corporators into the fold of ally Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The Sena ministers were at the state secretariat but chose not to go to the Cabinet meeting hall. They later raised the induction of the four with chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Pratap Sarnaik, one of the ministers, said some rules have to be followed in an alliance, and that was not being done. “We did not like the BJP taking our men into the party. We met Fadnavis and told him about this. He is very supportive. These mistakes are made at the ground level. These will be corrected.’’
BJP leader and minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said that it has been decided that they will not take each other’s workers. He added that there may be some anger. “Our ministers are busy with local elections. Eight ministers of the BJP were also not there for the Cabinet meeting. There was no boycott by any minister,’’ said Bawankule.
Shinde, who was denied the chief minister’s post after the assembly polls last year, has been upset with the BJP over a slew of issues, including the induction of Congress and Nationalist Congress Party – Sharadchandra Pawar leaders, who contested against Sena candidates, into the BJP.
{{/usCountry}}Shinde, who was denied the chief minister’s post after the assembly polls last year, has been upset with the BJP over a slew of issues, including the induction of Congress and Nationalist Congress Party – Sharadchandra Pawar leaders, who contested against Sena candidates, into the BJP.
{{/usCountry}}Shiv Sena (UBT) deputy leader Sushama Andhare said the BJP would use Shinde and then finish him politically.