Ajit Pawar set to handle Maharashtra's Finance Ministry in spite of Shinde sena objections

The decks have been cleared for NCP leader and deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar to get the finance ministry portfolio. While Ajit Pawar and eight other MLAs were sworn in last Sunday, the portfolios were still not allotted as there was anger in the Shiv Sena camp over the NCP's induction into the government.

BJP leaders claimed that the issue has been sorted, with BJP making it clear to Shiv Sena that Ajit Pawar will be given the finance portfolio. An announcement is likely to be made within two days. BJP leaders said that with the NCP leadership tussle still on and around a dozen MLAs still with the Sharad Pawar camp, Ajit Pawar would need a powerful portfolio to send a positive message to those MLAs supporting the Sharad Pawar faction.

Shiv Sena MLAs are upset with the induction of the NCP into the government as they believe that the NCP would play the big brother's role as they had done during the Maha Vikas Aghadi tenure. Shiv Sena MLAs had met chief minister Eknath Shinde after the swearing-in of Ajit Pawar and others and asked him to oppose Ajit Pawar from getting the finance portfolio.


According to them, Ajit Pawar as finance minister would allocate more resources and projects to NCP MLAs and deprive the Shiv Sena MLAs of funds. Shinde has assured his MLAs that he would not allow any discrimination in the allocation of funds and projects. However, the reaction from the Shiv Sena MLAs was so strong that Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis spoke on the issue after his meeting with the MLAs.

While Fadnavis has assured Shinde that the Shiv Sena MLAs have nothing to worry about, the MLAs from his faction are still upset because the NCP's entry also leads to lesser portfolios for them during the impending Cabinet expansion. To assuage their feelings, the Maharashtra Cabinet is likely to be expanded in the next few days so that more Shinde group MLAs could be accommodated.