Mumbai: The Maharashtra Congress is facing discontent over allocation of portfolios, with a section of leaders blaming state unit chief Balasaheb Thorat for the party getting a "raw deal" as compared to the Shiv Sena and NCP in the Uddhav Thackeray-led alliance government.
Their ire is also directed towards NCP supremo Sharad Pawar, who emerged as the key player in the alliance, with a Congress leader claiming that they need someone in the state unit who could stand up to the Maratha strongman.
Thorat, later in the day, brushed off criticism claiming the portfolios given to the Congress were those connected to the "day-to-day issues" of the common man.
Some Congress leaders say they demanded at least two ministries from the list comprising agriculture, rural development, industries, housing, transport and cooperation, but the allies Shiv Sena and NCP refused to pay heed.
Instead, ministries like culture, salt pan and port development, which were earlier with the Shiv Sena, have been handed over to the Congress. "The Congress has got a raw deal. Thorat has not been able to put forth the Congress' interest during deliberations," a senior party leader said on condition of anonymity.
According to sources, Congress leader Nitin Raut, who has been made the energy minister, is unhappy over the PWD being given to his senior colleague and ex-CM Ashok Chavan and Thorat being allocated the revenue department.
Citing how intense was the bitterness in the Congress rank and file, a leader said vandalising party office and burning effigy of a party general secretary never happened earlier, and added "such acts of indiscipline need to be taken seriously".
Supporters of Congress MLA Sangram Thopte ransacked the party office in Pune on December 31 to protest against his exclusion from the state ministry.
Besides, some party workers in Solapur, who were unhappy over MLA Praniti Shinde not getting a ministerial berth, burnt an effigy of AICC general secretary in-charge of Maharashtra Mallikarjun Kharge.
