The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Ajit Pawar was offered a minister of state (MoS) with independent charge post in the new Narendra Modi government at the Centre but the party did not accept it as it was keen on a Cabinet rank post, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Sunday.
Fadnavis made the statement in Delhi where he is set to attend Narendra Modi’s swearing-in ceremony. No leader from the Ajit Pawar-led NCP will be inducted into the council of ministers on Sunday.
“NCP was offered one MoS with independent charge. It is equivalent to a full-fledged cabinet rank,” Fadnavis said. “NCP has proposed the name of senior leader and former Union minister Praful Patel in the Modi Cabinet. Since Patel is senior and served as a Cabinet minister, they cannot accept MoS,” he added.
“There is no confusion or issue between the BJP and the NCP. Last night, we received information that we are going to get an MoS with independent charge [post]. But since I have already been a Cabinet minister, I cannot take this position since it would be a demotion. We have informed the BJP leadership and they have already told us to just wait for a few days, they will take remedial measures,” Praful Patel said on Sunday.
The Ajit Pawar-led NCP has reportedly also conveyed that it was willing to wait till the next Cabinet expansion.
“It would not be appropriate for him [Patel] to hold an MoS independent charge despite being Cabinet minister in the past. We did not feel it was right…So we informed (to the BJP leadership) that we were willing to wait for a few days but we wanted a Cabinet minister position. The BJP has agreed,” Ajit Pawar said.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the NCP won just one seat, Raigad, out of the total four it contested. Despite a bitter contest in Baramati, Ajit Pawar’s wife Sunetra could not defeat sitting MP Supriya Sule. Sharad Pawar’s daughter, Sule won Baramati for the fourth term.
Reflecting on the overall representation from Maharashtra in the new Modi government, Fadnavis expressed satisfaction. “There are some experienced leaders like Nitin Gadkari and Piyush Goyal as well as young candidates like Murlidhar Mohol and Raksha Khadse who have made it to the Modi cabinet,” he said.
Republican Party of India (A) president Ramdas Athawale and Prataprao Jadhav from the Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde are the other leaders from Maharashtra who are set to be inducted into the council of ministers on Sunday.
In terms of regional representation, Gadkari hails from Vidarbha, Goyal from Mumbai, Khadse from north Maharashtra and Mohol from Pune in western Maharashtra. Asked if Marathwada was ignored, Fadnavis said, “This is Cabinet formation… there will be Cabinet expansion ahead.”
“The Union Cabinet has ministers from across the country so no state can promise representation from each and every region. This is not the state Cabinet where you can ensure regional representation,” he added.
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
First uploaded on: 09-06-2024 at 17:53 IST
Aisha Patel is a dedicated Indian correspondent with a deep understanding of the nation’s diverse affairs. With a background in Indian culture, politics, and current events, she provides in-depth analysis and timely reporting on domestic issues within India.
