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Journalism of Courage
The Mahayuti may have had an easy victory in the Maharashtra elections, proving predictions of a tough contest wrong. However, the period since has been marked by intense negotiations as all the three parties, buoyed by their strong performance – the BJP 132, Shiv Sena 57 and NCP 41 seats – have been jostling for key portfolios.
The swearing-in on Thursday itself remained a touch-and-go till almost the final hours as Sena chief Eknath Shinde held out reportedly for the Home Ministry, besides Deputy Chief Minister post. He finally fell in line with the BJP’s plans reportedly after he was told to make a choice between Home and Urban Development.
Ajit Pawar, who has scored some points with the BJP by projecting himself as an entirely amenable ally, has his own demands as well, with Housing and Finance – held by him in the previous Mahayuti government – top of his list.
A look at the six most-sought-after departments in Maharashtra, and why they are so coveted:
Across governments, in states and at the Centre, this remains the one department every leader wants control of – and the one that chief ministers almost never part with. The reasons are obvious: Home controls the police, giving the minister concerned valuable and early insight into every development of import under their area. In times of political instability, the long arm of the law can go a long way in steadying or rocking the boat – and, in the Mahayuti’s case, can be a way of keeping allies in check.
Plus, it is to Home that most investigative agencies report, an added attraction.
A good job on the law and order front can go a long way in making a state attractive for businesses and investment.
In the previous Mahayuti government, when the BJP let Shinde have the CM post despite having more seats, it had kept Home for itself. The portfolio was under then Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis – though his term was a mixed bag for him personally as the flaring up of the Maratha quota stir was directly blamed on police action.
It is one of the most sought after departments following Home. The minister in-charge not only controls the release of funds for projects and to individual constituencies, but also all state government decisions can proceed only after the Finance’s approval.
In addition, the Finance Minister is the only Cabinet member other than the CM who can summon a meeting of officials from other departments without seeking approval of the minister concerned.
Release of funds is always a contentious issue in alliance governments, and hence the jostling for keys to the treasury. As every minister wants the fund flow to his or her department running smoothly, they are careful about not antagonising the Finance Minister.
After he joined the previous Mahayuti government in mid-2023, Ajit Pawar got the Finance portfolio, after it was given up by Fadnavis – underlining the importance of winning Ajit to their side for the BJP. Ajit could get Finance again this time.
The department is responsible for most of the development and infrastructure projects in urban parts of the state, particularly municipal corporations. Almost all urban local bodies in Maharashtra – including the cash-rich Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) – fall under the Urban Development Department. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority and City and Industrial Development Corporation also fall within its purview.
In the financial year 2023-24, Rs 31,082 crore or 5.66% of the total state expenditure was for the department.
Apart from preparing and finalising development plans of cities, the Urban Development Department also controls allocating plots for projects and mapping the limits of urban areas.
A party which caters largely to an urban voter base – like the Shiv Sena – usually insists on this department. With elections to most municipal corporations due in Maharashtra, including the BMC, no party will give up a chance to control it.
In the previous Mahayuti government, Shinde was the Urban Development Minister, and is expected to get the department again.
The department deals with land, the process of its buying and selling, finalising policies for mineral extraction and developing avenues for revenue generation through innovative means. From land records to sand extraction records, from stamp duty collection to tax collection, the department oversees all.
The party in-charge of the department can determine land use, hold the most power over the bureaucracy, particularly district collectors, and have a say in the real estate market as it can determine the tax structure.
In the previous Mahayuti government, the BJP had kept the Revenue Department. This time, there is a tussle over who gets it.
The Maharashtra Housing Department is currently supervising some of the biggest real estate projects in the country, including the Dharavi Redevelopment Project. In the near future, Mumbai is expected to see more big-ticket redevelopment projects such as Motilal Nagar in Goregaon, Abhyuday Nagar in Central Mumbai, Kamathipura Redevelopment Project and others.
Given the investment of lakhs of crore in these projects, the Ministry is lucrative for any party.
In the previous Mahayuti government, the BJP kept Housing, but this time is facing pushback from allies over it.
With an increase of 13% in the Irrigation Ministry’s budget for 2024-25, each party is eyeing this department. Gainful use of the budget for projects can help any party build its base among farmers, who comprise an influential vote bank in the state.
The department has been embroiled in a series of allegations over the past decade over Revised Administrative Approvals to irrigation projects, leading to political storms in the state.
Among the new projects on the cards is the Maharashtra Resilience Development Project, under which more than 100 irrigation projects are set to undergo completion and repairs; the ambitious Marathwada Water Grid Project, which involves connecting at least 11 irrigation projects in the water-scarce region; and the Nalganga-Wainganga river linking project, estimated to be one of the biggest in the country with an outlay of Rs 87,000 crore, and which holds the potential of changing the water scenario of Vidarbha.
In the previous government, the BJP held the Irrigation Department, and is expected to retain it. In the recent Assembly polls, the party made gains in both Marathwada and Vidarbha, which are not considered its usual hunting grounds.
