Discontent in NDA over portfolios; Shiv Sena upset

NEW DELHI: Discontent in the NDA over portfolio allocation came to the fore today with BJP's oldest ally Shiv Sena unhappy over being given the Heavy Industries portfolio and seeking an immediate change.

Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray will take a decision tomorrow on whether or not to accept the portfolio, said party leader Anant Geete, who took oath as Union Minister as the party representative yesterday but did not take charge of the Ministry allocated to him.

Uddhav, who was here to attend yesterday's swearing-in ceremony, met BJP President Rajnath Singh and conveyed the unhappiness. Geete also met Singh earlier in the day.

Geete told PTI that Shiv Sena has sought a different ministry but did not specify which it was.

"Uddhavji will take a decision tomorrow", was the refrain of Geete to several questions in this regard.

Shiv Sena is the oldest ally of BJP and it has secured as many as 18 seats in the Lok Sabha, making it the second largest party in the NDA.

However, Geete attended the first meeting of the Union Cabinet held this evening.

When asked whether Geete is unhappy over the portfolio, Rural Development Minister and senior BJP leader from Maharashtra Gopinath Munde steered clear of the query. "No one in BJP is unhappy," he said.

When pressed further on failure of Geete to take charge of his ministry, Munde, who was speaking on his first day in office, said this is not the place to discuss politics.

The strains between the two parties assume significance as the state assembly elections are due by October this year.The Shiv Sena BJP were in power in Maharashtra from 1995 to 1999 and are since in the opposition. The saffron alliance is the oldest.