Differences between the constituents of the ruling Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra are growing steadily. State Water Supply Minister Gulabrao Patil, who is associated with the Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, on Friday targeted the Finance Department led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, saying that it is the most useless department of the government. Speaking at a function in Jalgaon, Patil said, “The Finance Department is the most useless department of the government.
He said, “I had sent a file to the department. It was returned 10 times. Only negative comments were given. But I did not give up and kept following up.” Let us tell you that this minister of Shinde cabinet is known to be combative and outspoken. He later said that there are no differences within the cabinet.
Let us tell you that when Shinde toppled the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, one of the main complaints raised in his rebellion was that the Shiv Sena-led departments were not being given funds by the Finance Department controlled by Pawar. Last week, Ajit Pawar himself attacked another Shiv Sena leader and state Public Health Minister Tanaji Sawant.
Shinde’s minister said that he has opposed the Congress and NCP all his life. Sawant said, “I sit next to him in the cabinet, but I feel like vomiting after coming out.”
Let us tell you that voices of discontent are being raised against Pawar even within the BJP. Many in the party feel that bringing the NCP into the Mahayuti alliance has caused them to lose seats in the Lok Sabha elections. Last month, a report published in RSS-affiliated Marathi weekly magazine Vivek blamed the alliance with Ajit Pawar for the BJP’s poor performance in the Lok Sabha elections.
