What is The Role of Guardian Ministers Appointed by Maharashtra?

Mumbai: In a major win for NCP leader Ajit Pawar, Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday announced his name as the guardian minister of Pune district. Mr Pawar was reportedly upset over the issue and did not even attend a cabinet meeting on Tuesday on the grounds of bad health. Following this, Eknath Shinde and deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis flew to New Delhi on Wednesday evening to hold a meeting with the BJP leadership over the power-sharing arrangements.

A guardian minister, who is also the ex-officio chairperson of the District Planning and Development Council (DPDC), looks after the development plans and related affairs of each district. The post is important for political parties as it gives them control of the development funds allocated for the district.

Mr. Shinde announced a revised list of guardian ministers of 12 districts in the state. As per the revised list, Ajit Pawar has been given charge of the Pune district, which was so far with senior BJP leader and Cabinet Minister Chandrakant Patil.

Mr Pawar has been insisting for the guardian ministerships of Pune, Nashik, Satara, Kolhapur and Raigad districts for his party's leaders. Shamburaje Desai is currently guardian minister of Satara district, while Uday Samant is the guardian minister of Raigad district. Mr Desai and Mr. Samant are from Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, which does not want to part away with Raigad and Satara districts.

"Even after a lot of deliberations, the chief minister was not ready to give away the guardian ministerships of Satara and Raigad to the Ajit Pawar group due to the pressure from his own party legislators," a source said.  

The Chief Minister and his two deputies on Saturday night held a meeting at the CM's official residence Varsha bungalow over the power sharing arrangements including allocation of guardian ministerships, cabinet expansion, nominations to legislative council under the governor's quota etc. Despite Saturday's meeting, there was no announcement from the state government over the allocation of guardian ministership. As a result, Ajit Pawar reportedly was upset and did not attend the cabinet meeting, giving an excuse of throat infection.

Following the cabinet meeting, Mr. Shinde and Mr. Fadnavis went to New Delhi and met the BJP's top leadership and apprised about the current issues in Maharashtra, said a source from the ruling parties.

On the instruction of the BJP's high command, a revised list of Guardian ministers for 12 districts has been prepared and released on Wednesday by the chief minister's office (CMO).