Thackeray ends suspense, gives Home to Sena, NCP Finance

Mumbai:  Ending a fortnight long suspense, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday allocated the portfolios to his cabinet ministers, days ahead of the upcoming winter Session of Maharashtra Legislature next week.

Sena gets Home, NCP Finance, while Congress has Revenue and Power.

The Maha Vikas Aghadi partner Shiv Sena’s Eknath Shinde will be the new Home Minister, along with critical departments like Urban Development, Forests and Environment, Water Supply, Parliamentary Affairs, among others.

His party colleague Subhash Desai will handle Industry, Higher & Technical Education, Sports and Youth Welfare, Agriculture, Transport, Employment Guarantee, and more.

Nationalist Congress Party’s Chhagan Bhujbal has been given Rural Development, Water Resources, Social Justice, Food and Drugs, and other responsibilities.

His party colleague Jayant Patil will be the new Finance Minister, Housing, Public Health, Labour, Minorities Development.

Congress’ Vijay alias Balasaheb Thorat is the new Revenue Minister, Power, Medical Education, School Education, Animal Husbandry, Milk and Fisheries, etc.

His colleague Nitin Raut will handle Public Works Department, Tribal Welfare, Women and Child Development, Textiles, Relief & Rehabilitation and All Backward Classes.

Thackeray was sworn-in along with his six-member MVA team on November 28, but the ministers’ portfolios were not distributed, attracting huge flak from the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party.

However, Thackeray will handle all other portfolios which have not been specifically allocated to any of his cabinet colleagues, said an official spokesperson.

(IANS)