Sena-BJP ministerial feud: Talk and sort out, advises CM

Mumbai: With the junior ministers from Shiv Sena alleging step-motherly treatment from cabinet ministers of BJP, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday said they should sort out the issues through discussion.

"There are a few ministers of state who feel they want to do more work. But the jobs assigned to them are as per the rules of business. If they want powers beyond that, then we will have to amend the rules. If these ministers feel they have the capacity to do more work then that has to be decided by the concerned cabinet minister," Fadnavis said here.

"It is the prerogative of the cabinet minister to decide what work should be given to the Minister of State. And this is not a party-specific issue. There are cabinet ministers of Sena and BJP having MoS of other party. I believe if the MoS want some additional power, they should sit with the cabinet ministers and get it sorted out," Fadnavis said.

The 30-strong state ministry (including the CM) has ten Shiv Sena members; five of cabinet rank and five MoS. The tension between the allies escalated when Minister of State for Revenue Sanjay Rathod announced he had submitted resignation to Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, as Revenue Minister Eknath Khadse did not give him any work.

Khadse hit back saying that the cases that Rathod wanted to see and follow up had been sent to the Anti-Corruption Bureau for investigation. "Currently the ACB is probing some decisions of the erstwhile Minister of State for Revenue regarding gifting land to temples and tribals. Petitions have been filed in the High Court," the senior BJP leader said.

"It is wrong on part of the minister of state to insist on work related to this," Khadse said. The friction between allies has become significant after Thackeray's jibe at BJP over its rout in the Delhi polls.