Maharashtra Govt Ministry Allocation: Shiv Sena Keeps Home, NCP Gets Finance, Revenue To Congress

The Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra were allotted on Thursday, two weeks after Uddhav Thackeray was sworn in as chief minister, with his party, Shiv Sena, getting the important Home ministry. After long discussions and speculations, the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress coalition government in Maharashtra has finally allotted the portfolios to the six ministers of the new government. Thackeray, alongwith six ministers - two each from Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress - took oath of office on November 28.

A statement from the CM's office said that Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde has been given the charge of Home, Urban Development, Forest, Environment, Water Supply, Water Conservation, Tourism, Public Undertakings, Parliamentary Affairs departments. The other Sena minister, Subhash Desai, has been given the charge of Industries, Higher and Technical Education, Sports and Youth Welfare, Horticulture, Transport, Marathi Language and Cultural Affairs, Ports.

NCP minister Jayant Patil has been allocated Finance and Planning, Housing, Public Health, Co-operation, Food & Civil Supplies, Labour and Minority Welfare. Chhagan Bhujbal, another NCP minister, has been given Irrigation, Rural Development, Social Justice, Excise, Skil Development, Food and Drug Administration.

Congress minister Balasaheb Thorat has been given Revenue, Energy, Medical Education, School Education, Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development, Fisheries. Congress's Nitin Raut has been given PWD, Tribal Welfare, Women and Child Welfare, Textile, Relief and Rehabilitation, OBC,VJNT, Special Backward Class Welfare.

Eknath Shinde (Shiv Sena): Home, Urban Development, Forest, Environment, Water Supply, Water Conservation, Tourism, Public Undertakings, Parliamentary Affairs departments

Subhash Desai (Shiv Sena): Industries, Higher and Technical Education, Sports and Youth Welfare, Horticulture, Transport, Marathi Language and Cultural Affairs, Ports

Chhagan Bhujbal (NCP): Irrigation, Rural Development, Social Justice, Excise, Skil Development, Food and Drug Administration

Jayant Patil (NCP): Finance and Planning, Housing, Public Health, Co-operation, Food & Civil Supplies, Labour and Minority Welfare.

Balasaheb Thorat (Congress): Revenue, Energy, Medical Education, School Education, Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development, Fisheries

Nitin Raut (Congress): PWD, Tribal Welfare, Women and Child Welfare, Textile, Relief and Rehabilitation, OBC,VJNT, Special Backward Class Welfare

Chief minister Thackeray will keep the departments not allocated to any minister, the statement said. Cabinet expansion is likely to take place after the winter session of the state legislature ends on December 21.

The BJP and Shiv Sena had contested the polls together and won a majority in the November assembly elections, but cracks began emerging in the alliance after Uddhav Thackeray refused to play second fiddle and demanded rotational chief ministership. The Shiv Sena walked out of the 30-year-old alliance after the BJP refused to budge, joining hands with the Congress and the NCP.

After a period of hectic political activity during which the BJP's Devendra Fadnavis swore in as the Chief Minister and resigned days later, 59-year-old Uddhav Thackeray finally took oath along with six ministers in a star-studded ceremony at Mumbai's Shivaji Park on November 28. 

(With PTI Inputs)