New Delhi: A slight tremor hit the BJP-led NDA on the day of the swearing-in, with the Nationalist Congress Party led by Ajit Pawar rejecting the post of minister of state (MoS) offered to it. Praful Patel, who was expecting a Cabinet berth, told the media that he could not accept the MoS berth as it would be a “demotion” for him.
NCP leader Ajit Pawar echoed the same sentiment, saying the “MoS berth offered to us was not acceptable and we have rejected it”. Pawar and Patel preferred to “wait” for a Cabinet berth.
The NCP appears to be the first NDA ally to not get a Cabinet minister post. Despite the snub, however, both Pawar and Patel said that the rejection of the MoS berth “does not indicate any bad feelings”.
Following the rumblings, sources revealed that the BJP leadership has indicated that “remedial measures” were being taken to address the NCP’s “grievances”. The NCP’s lone, Sunil Tatkare, also did not get a Cabinet berth.
Speaking to the media, Patel said that “last night we were informed that our party will get a minister of state with independent charge post… I was earlier a Cabinet minister in the Union government, so this will be a demotion for me. We have informed the BJP and they have already told us to wait for a few days, they will take remedial measures”.
Earlier, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that “Praful Patel’s name was finalised… He was already a Cabinet minister, therefore he could not accept an MoS post”.
While the NCP has decided to “wait” for its coveted prize, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena, which won seven Lok Sabha seats, managed to get just one Cabinet berth.
The ruling Mahayuti, which includes the BJP, Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) and NCP (Ajit Pawar faction), won 17 of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra. Among these 17, Ajit Pawar’s NCP could win just one seat. The Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi, comprising the Shiv Sena (UBT), the Sharad Pawar-led NCP and the Congress, won 30 Lok Sabha seats.
