Mumbai: Shiv Sena UBT's Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut has levelled serious allegations against NCP leader Praful Patel. Raut claimed that Ajit Pawar's faction of the NCP currently has only one MP, Sunil Tatkare, but needs at least six MPs to secure a ministerial post. He alleged that Patel is orchestrating efforts to achieve this goal.
Raut stated, "Sharad Pawar worked hard to ensure victories for NCP MPs, but this government is focused on breaking alliances. Praful Patel wants to break the senior Pawar's NCP faction and secure a ministerial position. Sharad Pawar's ideology is fundamentally opposed to the BJP and RSS. We remain firmly aligned with Sharad Pawar."
Raut’s Remarks on 'One Nation, One Election'
Addressing the 'One Nation, One Election' proposal, Raut criticised the Modi government, saying, "The Modi government is pushing this agenda for its own selfish interests. I don't believe PM Modi will remain in power until 2029. This government has failed to conduct elections in Jammu and Kashmir and the BMC. PM Modi only talks about himself and doesn’t listen to anyone else."
Delay in Maharashtra’s Cabinet Portfolio Allocation
Despite the formation of the Maharashtra government, the allocation of cabinet portfolios remains unresolved. The three Mahayuti alliance partners, BJP, NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) and Shiv Sena are keenly awaiting the distribution of departments. Ajit Pawar recently met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP National President JP Nadda, sparking speculation that the allocation could be finalised soon.
Pawar also confirmed that the portfolio allocation will be done by December 14. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis however differed on his Deputy's statement and stated that the date for cabinet expansion is still to be decided.
NCP’s Mixed Performance In Recent Elections
In the Maharashtra Assembly elections, Ajit Pawar's NCP faction performed impressively, contesting 59 seats and winning 41. In contrast, Sharad Pawar's faction suffered major losses, managing to secure only 10 seats.
