Mumbai Confidential: Munde’s women empowerment; Ajit Pawar ‘sidelined’

Ajit Pawar sidelined

As the state finance minister, there is not a single project which does not have Ajit Pawar’s nod. Yet when it comes to giving credit, it has been shared between Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis. This was the refrain voiced by a senior NCP minister after PM Modi’s Maharashtra visit.

The minister noted, “The PM addressed Shinde as a popular CM. He praised Fadnavis for metro projects. While Ajit Pawar gets a mention in the passing as a deputy CM. Isn’t this unfair?” he asked.

Hotel Hullabaloo

Last week, when farmers across the state reached Mumbai along with their family members to attend a long-pending award ceremony by the state government, they were in for a rude shock over their hotel arrangements.

The concerned officials had not only booked many of them in small, congested rooms but some of the hotels used are known to be booked through apps by couples on an hourly basis. When enraged farmers threatened to go public, an apology was extended and they were accommodated in better hotels.

Ladke officers

WIth the Election Commission pulling up state administration for not failing to transfer officers before elections, many in the administration say that certain officers constantly get plum postings, remaining in metros like Mumbai, Thane while others are banished to more remote postings.

A section in the administration has coined a term ‘ Ladke officers’ for these ‘pampered’ officers – a tongue in cheek reference to the Ladki Bahin Yojana brought in by the Mahayuti government.

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