Maharashtra politics: Ajit Pawar faction expects nod today as matter reaches BJP high command

Maharashtra Dy CM Ajit Pawar along with NCP leaders in Mumbai. File Pic/Ashish Raje

AMID speculation that the imbroglio over the Eknath Shinde cabinet's expansion and portfolio distribution has reached the Bharatiya Janata Party's high command, the Nationalist Congress Party (AP) state Chief Sunil Tatkare said he expected the final decision by Thursday evening.

After affecting a split in the party, nine NCP ministers, including Ajit Pawar, were inducted into the Shinde cabinet on July 2. The delay in portfolio allocation has invited the Opposition's ire. Sources said the BJP's senior leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah was reportedly in talks with CM Eknath Shinde, Dy CMs Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar.

The three leaders met in Mumbai on Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning, before Ajit Pawar left for New Delhi. People said Ajit was expected to meet the BJP leadership in the capital to discuss Maharashtra-related matters and the possibility of the party getting a berth in the Narendra Modi team. National working President Praful Patel and Minister Hasan Mushrif accompanied Ajit to Delhi.

Shinde and Fadnavis kept up with their official engagements later on Wednesday. According to information, Pawar did not turn up for a meeting with the Maharashtra Economic Advisory Council in the evening at the Malabar Hill state guest house Sahyadri.

The portfolio distribution has been stalled because of a disagreement over the NCP's demand for plum departments such as finance, revenue, cooperation, energy (all held by BJP) and some crucial ones held by the CM. Also, ministerial aspirants in the Sena want portfolio distribution to be kept on hold till the cabinet is expanded further so that something significant is left for the new ministers.

Ajit Pawar's name is doing the rounds as the next state finance or revenue minister. Commenting on the developments, Tatkare said that only speculations were reported in the media. "There is no complaint [about Ajit getting plum departments or NCP getting a guardian minister of Raigad district]. The delay happens in such matters, but we [the three partners] have decided to go ahead in a united manner without misunderstanding. I expect the final decision by tomorrow evening," he said on Wednesday.

Opposition leaders attacked the three-pronged government for the delay and disagreements that are being spoken out loud in public. Sena (UBT) spokesperson Sanjay Raut said the parties in power were gangs of goons fighting for lucrative departments. "They may even hit each other for ministerial posts," he said, in reference to the rival Sena, which he said had lost its influence because of the Ajit Pawar faction's participation in the government.

State Congress President Nana Patole demanded that the government be dismissed and President's Rule imposed. "Public welfare work has been stalled. The administration is doing nothing," said Patole. Ajit's nephew Rohit Pawar wondered about the delay. "When Ajit dada was there [with the united NCP], portfolios would be announced immediately."