The power tussle within the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) continued after a Congress minister had to scrap the appointments of non-government people on the electricity companies, and in exchange, his party demanded that it be allowed to control a state-sponsored institution which works exclusively for the Maratha community. The energy minister was accused of taking a unilateral decision, while an NCP minister, who declared early this month that a community-specific firm would be amalgamated with his department, also faced a similar allegation.

Hours before the state cabinet met on Thursday, it was known that energy minister Nitin Raut was told by his party to cancel the appointments of non-government people on the electricity generation, transmission, distribution firms and their holding company. State Congress president and revenue minister Balasaheb Thorat confirmed the development, saying the new appointments would be made after consulting MVA partners. But he also demanded that SARTHI, a company established by the previous government for the welfare of Marathas, be given back to the Congress to run. The statement, however, exposed chinks in the Congress camp as its own minister Vijay Wadettiwar was involved in handing the company over to deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar on July 9.