NCP Chief Ajit Pawar, speaking on the cabinet row involving NCP leader Praful Patel, said that the NCP was willing to wait for a few days but that it wanted a cabinet post rather than the MoS seat offered to it. "We have one Lok Sabha and one Rajya Sabha MP today, but in the next 2-3 months we will have a total of 3 members in the Rajya Sabha and our number of MPs in Parliament will be 4. So we said we should be given one (cabinet ministry) seat," explained Ajit Pawar, for the NCP asking a cabinet berth.
Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, speaking to reporters, also spoke on the matter and said that the NCP (Ajit Pawar) was offered an MoS (Minister of State) but that the party insisted on getting a cabinet berth. Fadnavis also added that the NCP agreed on getting a cabinet berth later during the cabinet expansion rather than accepting the MoS post. Fadnavis' comment comes after it was reported that none of the NCP MPs, including Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare, will get the ministerial berths.
"The Nationalist Congress Party was offered one seat from the government- MoS Independent charge. But their request was from their side Praful Patel's name was finalised and he was already a minister. Therefore, he would not be able to hold the post of MoS Independent charge. When a government is formed with an alliance some criteria need to be decided, because several sides are together. But because of one party, the criteria cannot be twisted. But, I am sure that in the future when there will be an expansion at that time they will be accomodated," said Fadnavis.
Six MPs from Maharashtra are set to be inducted into Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government -- Nitin Gadkari, Piyush Goyal, Raksha Khadse, Murlidhar Mohol, Ramdas Athawale and Prataprao Jadhav, reported the IANS.
The oath taking ceremony of Narendra Modi will be held on Sunday (June 8) at 7.15 pm. The event will also witness the swearing-in of the council of ministers. Narendra Modi will become only the second PM after Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru to take oath as Prime Minister of India for the 3rd consecutive time.
