NCP discord after Cong; Walse Patil asks for Home Portfolio, Ajit Pawar could get Finance

Amid infighting within the Congress over portfolio allocation in the recent Maharashtra cabinet expansion under Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, sources reported that infighting within NCP has also broken. As per sources, NCP's Dilip Walse Patil has spoken to NCP chief Sharad Pawar over the phone. he has reportedly asked for the Home Portfolio. Moreover, sources report that Ajit Pawar is likely to get the Finance portfolio.

Shiv Sena steps in to resolve Congress infighting; Balasaheb Thorat asked to back down

Cong vs Cong

Meanwhile, discontent between the Congress party has surfaced between Maharashtra cabinet minister Ashok Chavan and Balasaheb Thorat with both senior leaders reportedly demanding the Revenue and PWD portfolio. Sources further informed that Nitin Raut and Vijay Wadettiwar have placed their demand before CM Uddhav Thackeray for the PWD portfolio. On Monday, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray inducted a total of 36 ministers in his one-month-old coalition government comprising the Shiv Sena, NCP, and Congress. Seniors like Ashok Chavan, Vijay Wadettiwar and Sunil Kedar were among 10 ministers of the Congress who found a place in the new government.

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However, the choice of certain leaders is ministers and portfolio allocation seems to have not gone down well with a section of Maharashtra Congress. A senior Maharashtra Congress leader questioned the integrity of MLAs Aslam Sheikh and Vishwajit Kadam on Tuesday who was inducted into the new cabinet, claiming that both the leaders were reportedly keen to jump the ship to the BJP prior to the Assembly polls held in October last year. They are reportedly also met with then chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. 

Cracks in Maha Vikas Aghadi? Sena displeased with Cong's infighting over cabinet expansion

Maharashtra Cabinet Expansion

On Monday, during the cabinet expansion oath ceremony, Ajit Pawar once again took oath as Deputy CM after his three-day stint in November with the short-lived Fadnavis government. Shiv Sena's 13 ministers (10 - cabinet, 3 - MoS), NCP's 13 ministers (10 - cabinet, 3 - MoS) and Congress' 10 ministers (8 - cabinet, 2 - MoS) took oath on Monday at 12 PM in the Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha. Uddhav Thackeray was sworn in as the chief minister of Maharashtra on November 28 along with six ministers — two each from alliance partners the Shiv Sena, NCP, and Congress.

Uddhav powerless? Nephew Ajit reveals Sharad Pawar calling shots on portfolio allocation