Mumbai: Though Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray announced the appointment of guardian ministers on Wednesday, differences are coming to the fore. While Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat is not interested in working as guardian minister, there is now a fight over the responsibility of guardianship of Kolhapur district. The Congress has now recommended Vishwajeet Kadam as guardian minister for Kolhapur.
NCP's Hassan Mushrif and Congress's Satej Patil, they want to be the guardian of Kolhapur. Both have strong political interests in the district. To avoid infighting, Thackeray chose Thorat, a seasoned leader, who is not from Kolhapur. Thorat, also the state Congress president, had earlier announced that he would not work as guardian minister. But, Thackeray still gave him the responsibility of Kolhapur.
On Thursday, Thorat said he had told the CM he did not want the post of guardian minister of Kalhapur. He had other responsibilities as the chief of the state Congress and leader of the Congress Legislature Party.
"We got 11 guardian minister posts in the power-sharing agreement with the NCP and the Shiv Sena. I have other responsibilities. I had already declared that I do not wish to be a guardian minister. I have told CM also," he said.
"The Congress has 12 ministers. Minister of State Vishwajit Kadam seems to be left out (from the guardian ministers' list)... The responsibility of guardian minister can go to him, " Thorat added.
Formula for guardians
"While distributing districts among three parties -- Shiv Sena, Congress and NCP -- a formula was finalised. The party with highest most legislators in the district will get this responsibility. Thus, Nashik, Ahmednagar came to NCP and Nagpur, Amravati went to Congress," informed senior minister Chhagan Bhujbal.
He hinted the NCP was positive to swap the Ahmednagar and Kolhapur districts between Congress and NCP. Congress was not ready to leave its claim on Kolhapur.
Wadettiwar to get Relief & Rehabilitation
Upset with the portfolio, Vijay Wadettiwar is yet to assume the charge of his department Other Backward Class. The Congress has requested Thackeray to give him Relief and Rehabilitation department. But no announcement has so far been made by the CM or the Governor about the Classes and Socially and Economically Backward Class.
"Wadettiwar was to get the Relief and Rehabilitation department, but that went to Shiv Sena's Sanjay Rathod and earthquake rehabilitation was left for Wadettiwar. "The mistake will be rectified," he added.
