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Raju Shetti bristles at not being invited for cabinet expansion
Apart from Shetti, Jayant Patil of the Peasants and Workers Party (PWP) and Abu Azmi of the Samajwadi Party were also not invited for the swearing-in ceremony
On a day of the much-awaited expansion of the Maharashtra cabinet, the Shiv Sena-led coalition government seems to have hurt one of its crucial ally, the Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatna (SSA), by apparently not inviting former MP and farmer leader Raju Shetti, who heads the party.
Shetti lost no time in taking a jibe at the government over the development.
“Those who hound you with ED, Income Tax or CBI were graciously invited, but allied parties who selflessly took all-round efforts to keep BJP away from power were ignored,” Shetti tweeted from his official handle @rajushetti.
Shetti was apparently referring to the notice issued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to NCP chief Sharad Pawar ahead of the state assembly elections held in October this year.
Shetti was also piqued as no invites were given to other smaller allies. Jayant Patil of the Peasants and Workers Party (PWP) and Abu Azmi of the Samajwadi Party, were also not invited for the swearing-in ceremony.
The ministerial positions were distributed among members of Shiv Sena, Congress, and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). Smaller supporting parties of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) like SSS, PRP, Samajwadi Party, Peasants and Workers Party, were not included in the list.
Member of the State Legislative Council (MLC) Jogendra Kawade of the Peoples Republican Party (PRP) was also seen agreeing with Shetti.
A two-time MP from Hatkanangale in Kolhapur district, Shetti holds a sway on sugarcane cultivators from Kolhapur, Sangli, Satara, Pune and Solapur districts. However, in 2019 Lok Sabha elections he was defeated by Shiv Sena's Dhairyasheel Mane.
During the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Shetti was in alliance with the BJP, however, for the 2019 polls he joined hands with Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
