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Journalism of Courage
A sulking Shiv Sena came around Wednesday and agreed to accept the Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises portfolio. The breakthrough came following a call from PM Narendra Modi to Sena president Uddhav Thackeray in the morning.
Sena representative Anant Geete, who had so far refrained from assuming charge of the ministry allocated to him, reached his office Wednesday and took charge.
Speaking to the media, Geete said, “This (that I was unhappy) is not true. However, since the party I come from, Shiv Sena, is connected to the people, party chief Uddhav Thackeray expected me to be given a ministry which is connected to the people… Uddhav Thackeray discussed this issue with Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday morning. Our discussions have been satisfactory. In the future whenever there is a Cabinet reshuffle, Shiv Sena will be given a good ministry.”
The Shiv Sena, with a total of 18 seats in Lok Sabha, is the second largest constituent of the NDA after the BJP. The party had wanted five ministerial slots for itself, two in the Cabinet and three in the rank of minister of state. As far as portfolios are concerned, the party would have been happier if it had been given the Railways or the Power portfolio.
