New Dehli - Patel Sees Offer as a Demotion, NCP Pushes for Cabinet Berth. In a surprising turn of events, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) turned down the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) offer to include party leader Praful Patel as a Minister of State (MoS) with independent charge in the newly formed National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government.
Maharashtra's Representation in the Cabinet
Six ministers from Maharashtra were sworn in on Sunday, including BJP MPs Nitin Gadkari and Piyush Goyal as cabinet ministers, Raksha Khadse and Murlidhar Mohol as Ministers of State, RPI (A) chief Ramdas Athawale as MoS with independent charge, and Shiv Sena leader Prataprao Jadhav also as MoS with independent charge.
Patel's Perspective
Praful Patel, who previously served as a Cabinet Minister in the Union Government, viewed the offer as a step down. "Last night we were informed that our party will get a Minister of State with independent charge. I was earlier a Cabinet Minister in the Union Government, so this will be a demotion for me," Patel stated on Sunday.
NCP's Stand
Maharashtra Deputy CM and NCP chief Ajit Pawar echoed Patel's sentiments. "Praful Patel has served as a cabinet minister in the central government and we did not feel right in taking Minister of State with independent charge," Pawar said. He also pointed out that the NCP's parliamentary strength is set to increase in the coming months, making their case stronger for a cabinet berth.
BJP's Response
Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis explained that in coalition governments, certain criteria are fixed for ministerial posts and cannot be changed for one party. However, he assured that Patel would be considered for a cabinet position in the future.
Political Reactions
Rohit Pawar from the NCP's Sharadchandra Pawar faction suggested that Ajit Pawar's utility to the BJP has diminished, while praising Praful Patel's political acumen.
Next Steps
In light of these developments, Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde has scheduled meetings with all party MPs and MLAs on Monday evening at Varsha Bungalow.
The BJP-led NDA secured its third consecutive term in the recent Lok Sabha elections, winning 293 seats, with the BJP alone bagging 240 seats.
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