Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today said talks with Shiv Sena were on track and he was confident of forming an alliance with the former partner for a strong government. He said BJP has neither accepted nor rejected the unilateral decision of NCP to abstain from the crucial trust vote on November 12. NCP has said the party will abstain during the trust vote. Talking to a television channel, Mr. Fadnavis said none of his government's decisions would be influenced by anyone's pressure and his government would be zero tolerance on the issue of corruption.
Meanwhile, the portfolio distribution in the newly formed cabinet of the Maharashtra government has been announced. Senior BJP leader Eknath Khadse has been given the revenue, agriculture, animal husbandry, dairy development, fisheries, state excise and minority development ministries; while the BJP prominent leader from Vidarbha region Sudhir Mungantiwar will look after finance, planning and forest.
Former leader of the opposition in legislative council Vinod Tawde has been allotted the school education and sports, Higher and Technical education, medical education, Marathi language and cultural affairs ministries. Pankaja Munde, daughter of departed Gopinath Munde, has been given the responsibility of rural development, water conservation and women and child development ministries.
Prakash Mehta will be the new industry and mining and parliamentary affairs minister and Chandrakant Patil has been given the co-operation, marketing and textile and public works ministries. Vishnu Savara will look after the tribal development, social justice and special assistance ministries in the state. Vidya Thakur will be the minister of state for rural development and water conservation and women and child development ministries. Dilip Kamble will be the minister of state for tribal development, social justice and special assistance ministries.
Chief minister Devendra Phadnavis has retained other remaining ministries including home and urban development ministries. According to sources, it is likely that there might be an expansion of the cabinet before the vote of confidence to include Shiv Sena in the ministry, which might lead to re-allocation of some of the portfolios.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray met Chief minister Devendra Phadnavis today and demanded actions against the perpetrators of crime in the murder of three members of a Dalit family at Javkheda in the Pathardi Taluka in Ahmedanagar district of Maharashtra. Chief Minister Phadnavis on Saturday asked DGP to probe the murder and had also told that his government will ensure that the case is tried in fast court.
