However, it also sparked off disgruntlement within the Shiv Sena as both inductees, Kshirsagar and Sawant, are imports from other parties
Shuffling his pack before the Maharashtra Assembly elections due in September, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis inducted 13 new faces into the council of ministers and dropped six incumbents. Former leader of opposition Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, former NCP leader Jaydutt Kshirsagar, BJP Mumbai chief Ashish Shelar, and senior BJP legislator Dr Sanjay Kute, were among the eight cabinet ministers sworn-in on Sunday.
The Chief Minister has also dropped housing minister Prakash Mehta, Vishnu Savra (tribal development), Rajkumar Badole (social justice), and ministers of state Ambarishrao Atram, Dilip Kamble and Pravin Pote-Patil.
The Lokayukta had passed strictures against Mehta for alleged violations in a slum redevelopment project at M.P Mills compound at Tardeo. Mehta’s marching order comes a day before the budget session of the state legislature. The rest have been asked to quit on issues ranging from performance of their ministries to the saffron combine’s show in the Lok Sabha polls in their constituencies.
Other cabinet ministers include: Miraj MLA Suresh Khade, Dr Anil Bonde, Ashok Uike, Tanaji Sawant. Barring Kshirsagar and Sawant, the rest belong to the BJP.
The expansion also saw five ministers of state: Yogesh Sagar, Avinash Mahatekar, Sanjay (Bala) Bhegade, Parinay Fuke, and Atul Save, being administered oath of office and secrecy by Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao at the Raj Bhawan on Sunday morning. Mahatekar is a veteran of the Ramdas Athavale-led Republican Party of India. It was an attempt to strike a caste balance by inducting Marathas, OBCs, tribals and Dalits.
However, it also sparked off disgruntlement within the Shiv Sena as both inductees, Kshirsagar and Sawant, are imports from other parties. At present, three of four Sena cabinet ministers are members of the upper house. A senior Shiv Sena legislator admitted though this was “party president Uddhav Thackeray’s prerogative,” party MLAs, who are elected by the people and are long-time loyalists, are vexed for being ignored.
Finance and forests minister Sudhir Mungantiwar said that even if these ministers would hold charge for only around 90 days, they would perform well. “He (Prakash Mehta) said he was eager to work for the party organisation,” added Mungantiwar, stating that the other ministers who had been dropped from the cabinet, had also expressed a similar desire.
CABINET MINISTERS
Of the 13 ministers, 10 are from the BJP, two from the Shiv Sena and one from the RPI (A)
BJP
Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil – Leader of opposition and Congressman followed son and Shirdi MP Dr Sujay into the BJP
Ashish Shelar – Mumbai BJP chief and Bandra West MLA is close to the BJP leadership
Dr Sanjay Kute – Legislator from Jalgaon-Jamod in Buldhana will correct the regional balance through representation for Western Vidarbha
Suresh Khade – The two-term legislator from the Miraj (SC) constituency represents Western Maharashtra and belongs to the Dalit Charmakar (cobbler) community
Dr Anil Bonde – The doctor-turned politician from Vidarbha’s orange capital of Morshi in Amravati, is a former Shiv Sainik, who was elected to the assembly as an independent in 2009, and joined the BJP later. He will represent Western Vidarbha (Amravati division) or Varhad, as it is called in the cabinet.
Ashok Uike – The tribal MLA from Ralegaon in Yavatmal defeated former Congress minister Vasant Purkhe
SHIV SENA
Jaydutt Kshirsagar – The former NCP minister and son of former MP Kesarkaku Kshirsagar defected from the NCP to the Shiv Sena last month, was rewarded with a cabinet berth. Kshirsagar, who belongs to the OBC Teli community, was the sole NCP MLA from Beed district
Tanaji Sawant – The former NCP man from Solapur, who has cultivated a base in Osmanabad, controls educational institutions, represents Yavatmal in the legislative council and is known for having resources at his disposal.
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