A day after the swearing-in ceremony of the Mahayuti ministry in Maharashtra, discontent among aspirants who were denied ministerial berths is growing, with many of them expressing it in public.
Former deputy chief minister and senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal, who did not find a place in the ministry, said he would decide his future course after talking to people from his Yeowala constituency. He said he will stay where he is respected, but not where he is insulted.
In the cabinet expansion on Sunday, 39 legislators from the Mahayuti allies — BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP — were sworn in as ministers (33 cabinet ministers and six ministers of state). Including chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and deputy chief ministers Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde, the total quota of 43 ministers in the 288-member state assembly has been fulfilled. In the cabinet expansion, ten former ministers were dropped from the cabinet, while 16 new faces were inducted.
“The ministerial berth is not a big deal for me. I have seen several ministries in my career. The ministry comes and goes, but I am still here,” Bhujbal said.
However, he also indicated that his non-inclusion in the Mahayuti ministry came as a shock to him. “I got the gift of non-inclusion in the cabinet because I spoke against Maratha quota leader Manoj Jarange Patil. I am being insulted and humiliated and did not expect such treatment from my party,” Bhujbal said.
BJP MLA and former finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar said he was informed that his name was in the cabinet list, but at the last moment he was dropped. However, he said he will continue to work for the party.
BJP MLA Sanjay Kute wrote a long post on social media alleging there was a conspiracy against him resulting in the loss of his ministerial berth. But he said he would continue to work hard till he achieves his goal in life.
Shiv Sena MLA and former minister Vijay Shivtare said he was a strong contender for a ministerial berth, but was denied without any reason. He said even if he was offered a ministerial berth after 2.5 years, he will not accept it.
Former minister Deepak Kesarkar, who was also dropped, said he wasn't upset. "When we authorise our party leader to make a decision, we have to abide by it and share the happiness of the newly sworn-in ministers. There are political compulsions as the party leader has to give representation to all regions and communities," the Shiv Sena leader said.
To pacify these disgruntled leaders, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis said the Mahayuti allies have agreed to conduct a "performance audit" of ministers during their tenure on the basis of which they will be retained or dropped.
