Eight hopefuls from western Maharashtra eye cabinet berth prize in next government

Leaders of the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress held meeting on Wednesday at Mumbai’s Yashwantrao Chavan Bhavan to discuss the names for the cabinet berths and portfolios.

pune Updated: Nov 28, 2019 16:23 IST

HT Correspondent

Hindustan Times, Pune

Ajit Pawar leaves his resident at Churchgate in Mumbai.(Kunal Patil/HT Photo)

With the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Shiv Sena finalising their alliance and projecting Uddhav Thackeray as the next chief minister of Maharashtra, many from the three parties from western Maharashtra are hopeful of getting cabinet berths in the next state government.

The new government is set to be sworn in on Thursday and names of those getting the cabinet berths haven’t been released by the parties, though names of hopefuls are doing rounds in the political circles. Leaders of the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress held meeting on Wednesday at Mumbai’s Yashwantrao Chavan Bhavan to discuss the names for the cabinet berths and portfolios.

While the Sena does not have any presence in Pune district, the party may go for a member of legislative council member and choose Neelam Gorhe for one of the portfolios. Gorhe, an MLA, is prominent party face representing its side in the media.

Of the 70 seats from western Maharashtra, Sena has bagged only five seats while the NCP won 21 seats and this poses a challenge for the party as it has to ensure that its political equations are not disturbed while selecting leaders for the cabinet berth.

From NCP’s side, Dilip Walse Patil, Jayant Patil along with Ajit Pawar are in the race for important portfolios. However, there is uncertainity over Ajit Pawar’s berth in cabinet given his recent revolt against the party.

Speaking to reporters in Mumbai, Ajit Pawar said, “Uddhav Thackeray will decide on my cabinet berth. As far as my political future is concerned, the party will decide it.”

In the race

Shiv Sena