Maharashtra's Congress ministers in big tug-of-war over portfolios, NCP dithers: Sources

After taking oath as Chief Minister of Maharashtra along with six ministers from Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena - Uddhav Thackeray mand to get his Cabinet in place on December 3. However, CM is w facing a new problem - distribution of portfolios.

Uddhav Thackeray is holding back-to-back meetings with Congress and NCP over portfolio allocation but is facing a fight within treasury benches. 

READ: Once MoS PMO & CM, Prithviraj Chavan Refuses Lower Portfolio & Cong State Chief: Sources

Tussle over portfolios

Sources have confirmed to Republic TV that, “Over Portfolio's allocation, Congress ministers are fighting within party.”

Elaborating on this, sources stated that, “In an ongoing meeting of Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi i.e Shiv Sena, Congress, and NCP, Maharashtra cabinet minister Ashok Chavan has demanded Revenue department as well as Public Works Department (PWD). Chavan made his stand clear and said that he won’t accept any or portfolios lower than Revenue and PWD portfolio. issue is that Balasaheb Thorat has also demanded  Revenue portfolio and stated that portfolio was with him and will continue to remain his."

source furr stated that Nitin Raut and Vijay Wadettiwar have also asked for PWD portfolio, which is Chavan's second demand. Raut and Wadettiwar have demanded PWD in front of CM Thackeray. 

Even though it was clear that NCP's Dhananjay Munde was keeping a close eye on PWD portfolio and even discussed same with Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, it seems like Pawar already alerted Munde to t to demand for same as re’s a rift within Congress Ministers. Munde agreed to request but n demanded for Water Resources department.

READ: Few Ministries, Too Many Want To Be Ministers, Little Difficulty: Congress Admits Discord

In midst, NCP also put forth ir demands. Sources said to Republic TV, "CM Uddhav Thackeray proposes Nawab Malik for State Excise Duty Ministry, whereas Nawab Malik demanded for Labor Department and Chhagan Bhujbal is t happy with Food and Civil Ministry whereas he is demanding for Rural Development." final call will be taken by CM Uddhav Thackeray.

In MVA, it seems like many senior leaders want plump portfolios and are t ready to settle for relatively smaller or unimportant portfolios. 

READ: Balasaheb Thorat Dismisses Reports Of Rift In Maha Vikas Aghadi Over Cabinet Expansion

Although Shiv Sena had given up  Home Ministry portfolio to NCP,  latter is t sure about whom to allocate portfolio.

Talking about cabinet expansion, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut was also hoping that his bror Sunil Raut, an MLA from Mumbai, would get a ministerial berth as a reward for his role in government formation. But Sunil Raut went out of list, which causes disappointment within party. 

Meanwhile, Congress faced violent protests by one of its MLAs when supporters of congress MLA Sangram Thopate vandalized party's office in Pune.

READ: Portfolios Pending & Netas Miffed, CM Uddhav Walks Tightrope With Multiple MVA Meetings