Shiv Sena gets just PWD & industries in key ministries

MUMBAI: The Shiv Sena, which had clamoured for the water resources and home ministries, among other high-profile ministries in Maharashtra, had to be content with the public works department (PWD) and industries portfolios after the portfolio distribution in Mumbai on Saturday.

The ruling BJP kept the lion’s share of major ministries in Maharashtra to its members. Senior BJP MLAs such as Girish Bapat and Girish Mahajan, who have been elected more than once, have been given prominence in the portfolio distribution. Subhash Desai and Eknath Shinde of the Shiv Sena, which joined the government on Friday, have been given the industries and PWD ministries, respectively.

The Shiv Sena’s Diwakar Raote, Subhash Desai, Ramdas Kadam, Eknath Shinde and Deepak Sawant have been included in the ministry. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has kept the home, law, urban development and protocol departments to himself while finance remains with the BJP’s Sudhir Mungantiwar. The water resources ministry, which the Sena was eager to take over, has been given to the BJP’s Girish Mahajan while BJP’s Prakash Mehta, who earlier handled industries, will now look after the housing, mines and labour ministries.