Mumbai this week: Portfolio cliffhanger ends with key ministries in NCP MLAs’ hands; Assembly session to commence Monday

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde quelled rumours of discontent as two minister of his party lost portfolios to the NCP, while Independent MLA Bachchu Kadu said many MLAs are opposed to the allotment of finance portfolio to Ajit Pawar.

Here are the BJP ministers who lost plum portfolios to Ajit Pawar-led NCP

Following are the other important updates from Mumbai and Maharashtra in the past week (July 10-16):

➡️ Ahead of the Monsoon Session

With the Maharashtra Assembly’s Monsoon Session to commence on July 17, Saroj Ahire, NCP MLA from Deolali in Nashik, who had not openly sided with any of the factions after the split in the party last month, extended her support to Ajit Pawar-led group.

Further, Ajit Pawar-led faction’s leaders met Sharad Pawar on Sunday to seek his blessings and keep the party united.

➡️ No decision yet on Sena MLAs’ disqualification

After Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Sunil Prabhu filed a plea in the Supreme Court seeking direction to the Maharashtra Assembly Speaker to expeditiously decide on the disqualification plea against rebel Sena MLAs led by Eknath Shinde, Rahul Narvekar said the court cannot dictate him a timeframe to decide on the matter.

➡️ Ruling, Opposition sides trade barbs

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde slammed Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray saying he dumped the “natural alliance” with BJP and misused Bal Thackeray and Narendra Modi’s names to win elections. Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis too accused Uddhav of back-stabbing his party and needs to see a psychiatrist.

Maharashtra Industries Minister and Shiv Sena leader Uday Samant said the ‘Mahayuti’ (grand alliance) will get more than 200 MLAs and 45-plus MPs in the upcoming elections.

On the other hand, Uddhav accused the BJP of engineering “splits” and “stealing” political parties as it was not confident of winning elections on its own. Congress handed the “Mission 20 plus” to its state unit, to ensure the party’s victory in at least 20 of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra in the 2024 general elections.

Other important news this week:

1. Mumbai’s lake levels at 29%, half of where it stood last year
2. Pets necessary for healthy life, fulfill emotional deficit due to broken relationships: Court
3. High time our country, Parliament are cognizant of consent age for sexual relationship of adolescents globally: Bombay HC
4. After several tree-fall incidents, BMC urged to conduct annual tree audits
5. MSRDC Jt MD says overspeeding, bad condition of vehicles behind Samruddhi e-way accidents’; air ambulances to be deployed
6. Aspirants can pitch start-up idea to join this MBA course
7. BMC to spend Rs 200 crore on bridge repair works across Mumbai; North India floods affect fabrication work at Ambala for new Gokhale bridge
8. Mumbai to soon have an IIM

Photo of the week

Sion Koliwada Congress committee protested against sky- rocketing prices of vegetables, tomatoes, pulses, gas, petrol and diesel at MGR Chowk, Antop Hill. (Express photo by Amit Chakravarty)

News to watch out for next week:

1. Ajit Pawar to meet PM on July 18
2. Monsoon session of the state legislature to begin from Monday
3. Bail application of Anthony Paul, arrested in connection with the Chrisann Pereira case, to be heard this week
4. The BMC is expected to finalise the executing agency that will construct the twin tunnels for its ambitious GMLR project and the agency that will build the Dahisar-Bhayander Link Road (DBLR) which is the final phase of coastal road project. The bids for these projects were submitted last week.
5. The BMC is set to take a reviewing of the water stock in lake levels based on which decision to whether continue the water cut in Mumbai will be taken up.
6. Jalgaon Collector bars entry to mosque: HC to hear plea next on July 18

New from Mumbai: July 3-9

News from Mumbai: June 19-25

News from Mumbai: June 12-18