Eknath Shinde, the chief minister of Maharashtra, met with Shiv Sena legislators to allay their fears over Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar’s plan to join the coalition government. Shinde said there was no need to be concerned.
After the NCP group headed by Ajit Pawar joined the Shinde-BJP administration, which had been in power for a year, several Shiv Sena MPs voiced their concerns, prompting Shinde to take action.
The whole conversation between Shinde and Sena legislators
Shiv Sena MLAs and MPs reportedly attended a meeting on Wednesday night at Shinde’s official mansion, “Varsha,” in south Mumbai.
The party’s organization was strengthened at the meeting, according to a party MP. “A lot of issues were discussed in the meeting, such as those pertaining to the monsoon session of Parliament as well as in the state legislature.”
Another party MP said that when Shinde was asked whether he was aware of the abrupt changes in the NCP, he replied in the positive.
The MP also said that due to the quick speed of political changes, Sena legislators were unable to be made aware of them beforehand.
The MP said, “The chief minister stressed that the NCP group led by Ajit Pawar joining the ruling alliance will only help the party lawmakers.”
According to a Shiv Sena MLC, “He said there was nothing to worry as the BJP and the Shiv Sena have been in power for a year now and the NCP’s (Ajit Pawar’s faction) joining the government will not affect its functioning in any way.”
The scope of ministerial candidates from the BJP and the Shiv Sena diminished when the NCP (rebel group) joined the government, Sena MP Kirtikar told PTI earlier in the day. Some MLAs are angry about this. This was known to the chief minister.
The Shinde-Fadnavis cabinet has grown to 29 members with the accession of nine ministers from the Ajit Pawar faction of the NCP, leaving 14 positions open.
