Uddhav strips rebel MLAS of portfolios amid power tussle
MUMBAI: Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday divested the portfolios of nine rebel ministers camping in Guwahati, including Eknath Shinde, and allocated them to other Shiv Sena ministers, arguing that the move was needed to ensure smooth functioning of the government.
The responsibilities of the ministers – five cabinet ministers and four ministers of state (MOS) – have been redistributed under Rule 6A of the Maharashtra Government Rules of Business, 1990, according to a statement from the chief minister’s office.
Thackeray “decided to hand over the portfolios of five absent ministers and four ministers of state to other ministers to ensure smooth functioning of the departments, and in case of heavy rains and calamities, the departments function properly,” the statement said.
“The idea is that the government functioning must not stop despite a political crisis. The opposition can use such a reason to go to the governor,” a Sena leader said, requesting anonymity. Cabinet ministers Eknath Shinde, Uday Samant, Dadaji Bhuse, Gulabrao Patil and Sandipan Bhumre are in Guwahati with ministers of state Shambhuraj Desai, Bachhu Kadu, Rajendra Patil Yedravkar and Abdul Sattar.
Out of the 12 ministers from the Sena, which leads the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance with the Nationalist Congress Party and Congress, three, including two members of legislative council, are with Thackeray and eight are with Shinde.
Industries minister Subhash Desai was given additional charge of urban development and public works, which was with Shinde. Environment and tourism minister Aaditya Thackeray was given higher and technical education, which was with Uday Samant. Transport minister Anil Parab was given the charge of Gulabrao Patil’s portfolio of water supply and sanitation.
The agriculture portfolio, earlier with Dadaji Bhuse, and employment guarantee and horticulture, held by Sandipan Bhumare, are now with soil and water conservation minister Shankarrao Gadakh.
Shambhuraj Desai’s departments MOS home (rural), finance, planning and skill development have been allocated to Sanjay Bansode, Satej Patil and Vishwajit Kadam. The portfolios of Rajendra Patil Yedravkar, MOS for health, medical education, food and civil supplies, and textile, have been given to Vishwajeet Kadam, Prajakt Tanpure, Satej Patil and Aditi Tatkare. Three portfolios with Abdul Sattar are now with Tanpure, Satej Patil and Tatkare. Four charges with Omprakash (Bachhu) Kudu were distributed among Tatkare, Satej Patil, Sanjay Bansode and Dattatray Bharne.
While the cabinet portfolios were allocated to Sena legislators, minister of state posts were given to NCP and Congress leaders.
There was no reaction from the Shinde camp on Thackeray’s decision till late on Monday.
Maharashtra has been facing political imbroglio since last week after Shinde went to Surat in Gujarat with some of the rebels. The number in the camp has now swelled to 39 — more than the 37 required to break away from the 55-strong Shiv Sena in the state assembly without attraction censure under the anti-defection law.