The portfolio allocation in Maharashtra has turned out to be a tightrope walk for the Mahayuti alliance partners. More than 24 hours after Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar were sworn in, the rest of the ministry and the portfolios are yet to be announced.
Shiv Sena MLA and leader Sanjay Shirsat said that in the new government, everyone wants to be sworn in as minister while the ministries are limited in number. He said the alliance has the support of 232 MLAs but can induct only 43 ministers.
“So, who should be sworn in? This is a big question. In the last government, many of them missed the opportunity and now they are expecting it. We are hopeful that the party leadership will take an appropriate decision that will be acceptable to all,” said Shirsat who is one of the aspirants for a ministerial post.
As the single largest party with 132 seats, the BJP wants to keep the largest pie of 60 per cent of the ministries while it is ready to concede 40 per cent to its allies Shiv Sena and NCP.
A Shiv Sena leader said the Sena is the second largest party with 57 seats in the Mahayuti, so the second biggest share of ministries should be given to them. However, NCP leader and former minister Chhagan Bhujbal said the NCP and Shiv Sena should get the same number of ministries.
Bhujbal said the Shiv Sena and NCP had an equal number of MLAs in the previous government, yet the Sena had the upper hand in the government, even getting the CM post. "Now, the power sharing has to be changed and the NCP should get the same number of ministries as the Sena. We also want an honorable and respectable deal in the ministry," said Bhujbal.
Senior BJP leaders said they are very happy that they got a massive mandate, but it's also a headache to pacify everyone in such a situation. “In the previous government, some were asked to wait. Now, they are asking for a ministry. We have to take into account regional, caste and seniority factors while forming the ministry. It's a tough task for the Mahayuti leaders,” said a BJP leader, requesting anonymity.