GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 16th Dec. In a major reshuffle, Maharashtra’s ruling alliance, Mahayuti, led by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, has dropped 11 key ministers from its new government, triggering protests and unrest among their supporters. The most notable fallout comes from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) faction led by Ajit Pawar, which saw the removal of five prominent leaders, including Chhagan Bhujbal, Dharmarao Baba Atram, Sanjay Bansode, Dilip Walse Patil, and Anil Patil. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena have also seen three of their own ministers excluded.
Supporters of Chhagan Bhujbal, especially in Yeola, have been vocal in their opposition, with protests breaking out in the region. Bhujbal, who has been left out of the cabinet, expressed his disappointment and announced that he would no longer attend the assembly session. He also stated that although he had been offered a Rajya Sabha seat, accepting it would not be fair to his Yeola voters.
Sudhir Mungantiwar, another major leader dropped from the cabinet, contradicted claims made by Fadnavis. The Chief Minister had earlier suggested that Mungantiwar’s exclusion was the result of long discussions. However, Mungantiwar clarified that the discussion was brief and took place only on the day of the cabinet expansion. He also revealed that Fadnavis and state BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule had told him he would be included in the cabinet, but this was not the case in the final announcement.
The exclusion of other potential candidates has also sparked frustration. Shiv Sena’s MLA Narendra Bhondekar resigned from party posts, further fueling discontent within the party ranks. Another MLA, Vijay Shivtare from Purandar, expressed dissatisfaction with the treatment he received during the cabinet selection process. While he stated that he was not upset over not being given a ministerial position, he criticized the lack of communication and the way party workers were treated.
Prakash Surve, another MLA from Magathane, highlighted the struggle he faced after shifting his loyalty to Shinde during the rebellion, and criticized the selection process that seemed to favor individuals with influential family backgrounds over seasoned party workers.
Despite the growing protests, state BJP leaders, including Bawankule, have denied any disputes regarding the cabinet reshuffle, asserting that the allocation of portfolios will be finalized soon. Fadnavis has defended the reshuffle, stating that several ministers were dropped due to poor performance, and 25 new faces have been inducted into the cabinet.
Among the new appointees are several high-profile leaders, including Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Ganesh Naik, Pankaja Munde, and Ashish Shelar. The reshuffle also includes four women legislators, with Pankaja Munde, who previously served as the Minister of Women and Child Welfare, being one of the notable inclusions.
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