Maharashtra: Shiv Sena picks ministers from all regions; banks on rotation policy to pacify upset MLAs

On the induction of MLAs into the Cabinet, a Sena functionary said that party chief and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde has played a strategic balancing act both on regional front as well as on the caste lines, while also keeping in mind the upcoming civic polls and ensuring that there is representation from all the five regions of the state.

Shinde is also now banking on the two-and-a-half-years rotation policy for ministers to pacify MLAs who missed the bus this time.

In a region-wise break up, Shinde has given maximum representation to Konkan region by choosing three ministers from there, followed by two ministers each from North Maharashtra, Western Maharashtra , Vidarbha and Mumbai Metropolitan region and one from Marathwada.

“Shinde ji sent a strong message to his flock that while there is no place for controversies and non-performance under his watch, he is careful and considerate in giving opportunities to his loyalist and fresh faces into the cabinet by giving representation to all the five regions for the expansion of Sena across the state,” a Sena leader said adding that Shinde has also planned to implement 2.5 years rotation formula for ministers through which a more MLAs can be given opportunity.

“Many people are capable of becoming ministers. We as a party has decided to give ministerial posts for two-and-a-half years. Many more will get an opportunity because of this,” Shinde said.

Even as Sena has two ministers from MMR which includes Shinde and Pratap Sarnaik from Thane, the party has not chosen any one from Mumbai, which is crucial for the party considering the upcoming civic polls.

While Shinde retained five out of the nine former ministers— Gulabrao Patil and Dada Bhuse (from North Maharashtra), Sanjay Rathod from Vidarbha, Uday Samant from Konkan and Shambhuraj Desai from Western Maharashtra, — he dropped Tanaji Sawant, Deepak Kesarkar and Abdul Sattar from the nine ministers who were in his cabinet. The ninth minister Sandipan Bhumre became the MP in the recently held Lok Sabha polls.

Sawant, Sattar and Kesarkar, were in news for making multiple “controversial” statements.

Sawant had recently made a statement against Mahayuti alliance partner NCP that he feels like throwing up when sitting besides NCP ministers and leaders.

Similarly in the case of Sattar, who was the lone Muslim MLA in Shiv Sena, local BJP functionaries had refused to campaign for him in the Assembly polls accusing him of working against party Lok Sabha candidate Raosaheb Danve leading to his defeat.

Kesarkar too courted controversy when he made a statement after the collapse of Shivaji statue in Malvan that “something good might come out of the Shivaji Maharaj statue collapse incident” and suggested the erection of a new 100-foot statue at the same location.

A source in Sena said, “Within the limited number of Cabinet berths, it was important for the party to give opportunity to fresh faces as well. Hence a few ministers had to be dropped.”