EVEN as Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar met Union Home Minister in New Delhi on Thursday, the NCP raised the decibel-level for the finance portfolio, saying the Mahayuti Government will have no meaning if the party and its national president does not get the ministry.
“If Ajit Pawar does not get the finance ministry, then the government will have no meaning,” said NCP spokesperson Amol Mitkari after Ajit Pawar met Shah in Parliament House on Thursday. NCP leader Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare were also present. Ajit Pawar’s wife Sunetra Pawar, who is Rajya Sabha MP, was there too.
“Before the 2024 elections, the whole of Maharashtra saw the implementation of welfare schemes like Ladki Bahin Yojana and waiver of electricity bills of farmers. While implementing the schemes, Ajit Pawar as Finance Minister will ensure that the state is not bogged down by additional financial burden. If financial discipline has to be ensured in Maharashtra, the finance portfolio should go to Ajit Pawar,” Mitkari said.
Mitkari said finance ministry suits Ajit Pawar. “If discussions are underway and if we learn that the BJP is getting the home ministry, then it suits them. But the finance ministry suits NCP. Therefore it should remain with Ajit Pawar, otherwise Mahayuti has no meaning,” he said.
Meanwhile, Ajit Pawar who met Shah in Parliament House, said,”We discussed the sugarcane issue… I requested Amit Shah to increase the sugarcane rate. He promised to take a decision by January.”
Ajit Pawar said a discussion on the cabinet expansion will be happen on December 14.
However, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who like Ajit Pawar was also in New Delhi on Thursday, said the date for cabinet expansion has not been decided.
Fadnavis also underplayed the differences over key ministers among the three alliance partners. “There is no problem with the expansion of the state cabinet. I have come to Delhi to meet my party leaders and discuss our likely ministers with my party’s leadership. As for Ajit Pawar, he has come for his personal work. He will take a decision about his ministers and similarly, Eknath Shinde will take a decision about his.”
The Mahayuti government was sworn in on December 5 when Chief Minister and two Deputy Chief Ministers were sworn in. Since then, the cabinet expansion has remained pending, with all the three parties insisting on key portfolios.
While the Shiv Sena led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has raised the stakes for Home Ministry and Urban Development Department, the NCP is once again eyeing the finance ministry, which Ajit Pawar had held in the last Mahayuti Government as well.
Fadnavis met President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
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