Six ministers - two each from Sena, NCP and Congress - picked with the upcoming winter session of the state legislature in view
Uddhav Thackeray
Fifteen days after the state cabinet's swearing-in, CM Uddhav Thackeray has finally allotted portfolios to the six ministers – two each from the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress. However, the distribution seemed temporary in view of the winter session of the state legislature which would begin in Nagpur next Monday.
The ministers would be deputed to respond to the queries and debates, introducing bills and ordinances for approval of the lower and upper houses. Insiders said most of the portfolios would go to new ministers who are likely to be inducted in the last week of December. The Sena has 16 berths (including CM), NCP 15 and Congress 12 in a 43-member council of ministers that will have seniors (Cabinet rank) and juniors (ministers of state).
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Apparently, the delay was caused because of an internal tussle between the three parties. And if the basket distribution isn't final, then, the constituents are likely to debate the distribution between them further. But the broad formation is unlikely to change, said a senior Sena leader. For instance, the Sena got the all-important home department which many insiders said was likely to go to NCP's deputy CM candidate.
Another contentious department – urban development — has also gone to the Sena's kitty. Sources said the CM's party would keep this department even in the expansion. Sena's group leader Eknath Shinde who was also in the previous cabinet has been put in charge of many important departments.
The CM would continue to have the General Administration Department and the departments that have not been given to any minister. Congress has been given revenue and NCP would manage finance and planning.
Who got what?
CM Uddhav Thackeray: Departments that have not been allotted to the ministers
Eknath Khadse (Sena): Home, UD, Forest, Environment, Water Supply and Sanitation, Water Conservation, Tourism, PWD (MSRDC), Parliamentary Affairs, Ex-servicemen Welfare
Chhagan Bhujbal (NCP): Rural development, water resources, social justice, state excise, skill development, FDA
Balasaheb Thorat (Congress): Revenue, energy (including nonconventional sources), medical education, school education, animal husbandry, dairy development and fisheries
Subhash Desai (Sena): Industry, mining, higher and technical education, sport and youth welfare, agriculture, employment guarantee, horticulture, transport, Marathi language, cultural affairs, protocol, earthquake relief, ports and saltpan land.
Jayant Patil (NCP): Finance and planning, housing, public health, cooperation and marketing, food and civil supplies, consumer protection, labour and minority welfare
Dr Nitin Raut (Congress): PWD, tribal development, woman and child development, textiles, relief and rehabilitation, OBC, SEBC, NT, VJNT and special backward class welfare
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