Resignation threat, appointment with CM: Maharashtra MLAs plan next move over exclusion from Cabinet

Shiv Sena insiders said that Tanaji Sawant, who was hoping to secure a cabinet berth, landed up at Matoshree on the day of the cabinet expansion after his name did not feature on the list.

The resentment among Shiv Sena legislators over the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) cabinet expansion is growing. While a former minister and MLA from Paranda (Osmanabad), Tanaji Sawant, is miffed at not getting a cabinet berth, another heavyweight Sena legislator Bhaskar Jadhav has sought an appointment with Sena chief and chief minister Uddhav Thackeray to seek answers. Besides the Sena, a Congress MLA from Karvir (Kolhapur), PN Patil, is planning to resign as a legislator.

File photo of Shiv Sena MLA Tanaji Sawant (Right) (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT File Photo)

Sena insiders said that Sawant, who was hoping to secure a cabinet berth, landed up at Matoshree on the day of the cabinet expansion after his name did not feature on the list. However, Thackeray, who was in a hurry to reach Vidhan Bhavan for the swearing-in ceremony, could not meet him. A fleeting conversation between the two happened as the chief minister was entering his car. A Sena functionary confirmed that Sawant came to meet Thackeray and said, “While Uddhav ji was leaving in his car, he [Sawant] told him that henceforth he will not come to Matoshree seeking a ministerial berth. To which, Uddhav ji said ‘Jai Maharashtra’ and left.”

The Shiv Sena deputy leader from Solapur district was one of the hopefuls from within the Sena, and his exclusion came as a surprise to many.