Pankaja Munde, Vinod Tawde lose portfolios in Maharashtra cabinet rejig

MUMBAI: Ministers Pankaja Munde and Vinod Tawde got a huge jolt late on Saturday, when they learnt that two key portfolios that they had been holding, were reallocated to other ministers in the Cabinet reshuffle.

ET had reported a day earlier that CM Devendra Fadnavis was going to reallocate departments of at least two ministers whose performance was not up to the mark, ‘Fadnavis to reshuffle portfolios of BJP Guns’.

Vinod Tawde, who had School and Higher Technical Education, lost the additional portfolio of Medical Education as it was allotted to Girish Mahajan, a close confidante of Fadnavis, while Pankaja lost the Water Conservation portfolio to Ram Shinde.

Top officials said the two ministers had themselves to blame for the loss. With Eknath Khadse being asked to resign and the portfolios being allocated, Fadnavis, said BJP leaders has given a clear signal that he won’t care for reputations or stature if the minister is not able to deliver.