Congress demands for a delay in Maharashtra portfolio distribution: Sources

Amid the Maharashtra Cabinet expansion, sources on Friday said that the Congress party is unhappy with the allocation of portfolios and thus demand a delay in portfolio distribution. According to sources, the allocation was scheduled for Thursday will now further be delayed as the three-party in the Maha Vikas Aghadi will have a discussion over the portfolio allocation.

Earlier on Thursday, a senior leader confirmed to Republic that the infighting within the Congress party has led to the delay in the portfolio announcement. On Monday, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray inducted a total of 36 ministers in his one-month-old coalition government comprising the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress. This comes after Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister's assertation on Wednesday that no one is unhappy in the Maha Vikas Aghadi and that the portfolios will be announced on Thursday. "Order on portfolios might be released tomorrow. Nobody is unhappy with the portfolio allocations," Ajit Pawar said after a key meeting with Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and other leaders of the coalition.

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Tussle in Congress

The Maharashtra Cabinet expansion has reportedly broken a rift between a faction of Congress over the allocation of portfolios in the Uddhav Thackeray-led government, with senior party leaders feeling that the loyalists are being ignored at the time when they deserve an opportunity. Earlier on Wednesday, Maharashtra Minister Balasaheb Thorat disclosed that many MLAs wanted to be included in the Cabinet but there are fewer ministerial berths in the government.

Discontent between the Congress party has also surfaced between Maharashtra cabinet minister Ashok Chavan and Balasaheb Thorat with both senior leaders reportedly demanding the Revenue and PWD portfolio. Sources further informed that Nitin Raut and Vijay Wadettiwar have placed their demand before CM Uddhav Thackeray for the PWD portfolio. On Monday, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray inducted a total of 36 ministers in his one-month-old coalition government comprising the Shiv Sena, NCP, and Congress. Seniors like Ashok Chavan, Vijay Wadettiwar and Sunil Kedar were among 10 ministers of the Congress who found a place in the new government.

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Cabinet expansion 

A total of 12 Shiv Sena, 14 NCP, and 10 Congress MLAs were administered the oath of office and secrecy in the Maharashtra Cabinet expansion on Monday. This includes Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, Jitendra Awhad, spokesperson Nawab Malik, senior legislator Hasan Mushrif, newly-elected MLA Dhananjay Munde and Abdul Sattar, former Chief Minister Ashok Chavan and the CM's son Aaditya Thackeray. This led to considerable unease in the Maha Vikas Aghadi, with many MLAs publicly voicing their displeasure after missing out on a Cabinet berth. 

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