Shiv Sena sulks over single berth in Cabinet

Discontent in the National Democratic Alliance over portfolio allocation came to the fore on Tuesday with Bharatiya Janata Party’s oldest ally Shiv Sena unhappy over being given the Heavy Industries portfolio and seeking an immediate change.

Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray will take a decision on Wednesday on whether or not to accept the portfolio, said party leader Anant Geete, who took oath as Union Minister as the party representative on Monday but did not take charge of the ministry allocated to him.

Uddhav, who had attended the swearing-in ceremony, met Rajnath Singh and conveyed the unhappiness. Geete also met Singh earlier in the day. Geete said that the Sena has sought a different ministry but did not specify which it was. “Uddhavji will take a decision tomorrow,” was the refrain of Geete to several questions in this regard.

Geete attended the first meeting of the cabinet held on Tuesday evening. When asked whether Geete is unhappy over the portfolio, Rural Development Minister and senior BJP leader from Maharashtra Gopinath Munde steered clear of the query, “No one in BJP is unhappy,” he said.

When pressed further on failure of Geete to take charge of his ministry, Munde, who was speaking on his first day in office, said this is not the place to discuss politics.

Image: Shiv Sena leader Anant Geete