Unrest Brews in Maharashtra: 11 Ministers Ousted from Cabinet Spark Waves of Protest

The BJP has replaced Ravindra Chavan, Sudhir Mungantiwar, and Vijaykumar Gavit, while the Shiv Sena has excluded Tanaji Sawant, Abdul Sattar, and Deepak Kesarkar from their lineup, signaling strategic shifts within both parties.

P24 News Media

December 17, 2024

1 minute

Unrest Brews in Maharashtra: 11 Ministers Ousted from Cabinet Spark Waves of Protest

India

Mumbai witnessed a significant upheaval as eleven prominent ministers from the ruling Mahayuti alliance were removed from the newly formed government led by Devendra Fadnavis. This restructuring has sparked widespread unease among their supporters, leading to protests in various regions, notably by Chaggan Bhujbal's supporters in Yeola.

Among the three factions in the alliance, Ajit Pawar’s wing of the Nationalist Congress Party faced the heaviest losses, with five key figures, including Chhagan Bhujbal, Dharmarao Baba Atram, Sanjay Bansode, Dilip Walse Patil, and Anil Patil, being excluded from the cabinet. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena each saw three of their members omitted from the new cabinet.

The BJP’s omissions included Ravindra Chavan, Sudhir Mungantiwar, and Vijaykumar Gavit. Meanwhile, the Shiv Sena did not retain Tanaji Sawant, Abdul Sattar, and Deepak Kesarkar in the cabinet. The removal of these key leaders has led to public discontent, particularly in the case of Chhagan Bhujbal, who has voiced his refusal to attend future assembly sessions and expressed disappointment with the current developments. Bhujbal also mentioned that he has been offered a position in the Rajya Sabha but believes accepting it would be unjust to the voters of Yeola.

Sudhir Mungantiwar has rebutted the assertions made by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis regarding the nature of discussions concerning the cabinet expansion. Fadnavis claimed that there had been extensive discussions with Mungantiwar regarding his ministerial position, and indicated that although he was not granted a cabinet berth, he might still be assigned a significant role within the party. In contrast, Mungantiwar clarified that their conversation was limited to the day of the cabinet expansion and called into question the legitimacy of the previous statement by Fadnavis.

Moreover, other leaders who were anticipated to secure a ministerial role were left without appointments. This situation has caused unrest within the Shiv Sena, leading to resignations from party posts, including that of MLA Narendra Bhondekar. MLA Vijay Shivtare expressed his discontent, stating that he was not upset about missing a ministerial role but rather about the poor treatment he perceived from leadership. He emphasized that party workers deserve respect and should not feel obligated to accept positions merely for the sake of it.

Prakash Surve, a key MLA who transitioned to support Shinde following the rebellion, noted his humble beginnings and contrasted his persistence with the legacy of those who demanded cabinet positions based on their familial connections.

Despite the unrest, Chandrashekhar Bawankule, the state BJP chief, asserted that there were no disputes regarding the allocation of cabinet portfolios, maintaining that discussions were concluded and that any announcements would come soon. The newly established administration has committed to evaluating the effectiveness of the newly appointed ministers, with Fadnavis indicating that the ousted former ministers were removed due to underperformance.

The cabinet's fresh lineup includes twenty-five new faces, among them notable figures like Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Ganesh Naik, and Pankaja Munde, the latter of whom previously held a ministerial position in women and child welfare from 2014 to 2019. The induction also features three women legislators, including Madhuri Misal and Meghana Bordikar, enhancing female representation within governance. Aditi Tatkare, from the NCP, has also been included and has previously played a significant role in implementing women's welfare initiatives, particularly the Ladki Bahin Yojana ahead of the state assembly elections.