Conceded CM’S chair, but BJP to hold key portfolios
MUMBAI: The BJP which has handed over Maharashtra’s chief ministership to Eknath Shinde, has ensured that certain portfolios remain with it. Devendra Fadnavis who was sworn in as the deputy chief minister under Shinde on Thursday, is expected to safeguard the party’s interests in the state and in the government.
BJP insiders concede that until the events played none of them were aware that Shinde would be the new CM. “It was a shock for all the state leaders. Until two days ago, we were expecting Fadnavis to be the CM, but the decision appears to have been changed by the central leadership after Thackeray made an appeal to the rebel MLAS and offered them to take over as CM. This was the turning point,” the leader said.
“The power-sharing formula and pact was finalized by union home minister Amit Shah who has been overseeing Shinde’s revolt from the start. The Eknath Shinde faction is likely to get 15 ministerial berths while the BJP is expected to get key portfolios like home, finance, agriculture, revenue, PWD, school education, environment among others. By keeping these portfolios BJP will want to ensure that development-related works are steered by it. In fact among the first decisions of the government is to keep the roll back Thackeray’s decision building the metro carshed at Aarey which is a clear indication
Bhagat Singh Koshyari of the BJP’S imprint.
During the 2014 BJP-SENA government, the junior partner was given 12 portfolios but none of them were the key ones which led to considerable resentment in the Shiv Sena. This time Eknath Shinde is in a better bargaining position, says a BJP leader. The home department could be the bone of contention between the BJP and the Shinde camp. Fadnavis held the department for five years of his government.
It needs to be seen whether Shinde, who recently got CM Uddhav Thackeray to reverse the transfer of the certain senior police officers from Thane, will agree to give the home portfolio to BJP.
“Among Shinde’s 50 rebel MLAS, nine of them were ministers in the MVA government. Other than Bacchu Kadu who represents a small party, Prahar Jansshakti and Rajendra Patil Yedraokar who is an independent, there are six Sena ministers among the rebels. Shinde will have to accommodate all of them in his cabinet apart from inducting a few new faces to avoid discontent. This means he will have to get at least fifteen departments including ministers of state. Maharashtra cabinet has 43 berths including that of the CM. Unlike Uddhav Thackeray who held no portfolio, Shinde is likely to keep the urban development department to himself,” said another BJP leader
“Most of the decisions related to ‘the operation’ were taken by Delhi-based party leaders. Even the power-sharing pact will be finalized by the leaders in consultation with Fadnavis”, he said.
Apart from Fadnavis, Chandrakant Patil, Girish Mahajan, Ashish Shelar, Pravin Darekar, Sanjay Kute, are among those from the BJP who are likely to be made ministers.