Mumbai: Even when Shiv Sena is struggling to settle internal bickering over denial of the ministerial berth, the disgruntled Shiv Sena minister Abdul Sattar on Saturday offered to resign for not giving him the cabinet rank. The party bosses immediately swung into action and pacified Sattar who was elected from Sillod seat in Aurangabad district as Sena nominee after quitting Congress party.
Former minister Arjun Khotkar, who met Sattar and convinced him not to take any extreme step, spoke to party bosses in Mumbai and thereafter it was agreed that Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray will meet Sattar on Sunday.
Sattar broke his silence after nine hours and denied that he has resigned. ''Rumours were spread about my resignation. My control is on Matoshree (which is the residence of Thackeray). Whatever I have to speak I will speak with CM Thackeray. Thereafter, I will make my decision'' he said.
Earlier, Khotkar completely denied that Sattar has resigned as the minister of state saying that it was a media creation. Sena MP Anil Desai had also clarified that Sattar had not submitted resignation to him as reported by a section of media.
Although Sattar took the oath of office and secrecy as minister of state, he was not happy as he felt it was his demotion when Sena legislator Sandipan Bhumre from Aurangabad district was made a cabinet minister.
Sattar's move comes as a shocker to Shiv Sena which is heading the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in the state. Already 14 legislators and former ministers have expressed serious displeasure for denial of ministerial berth in the cabinet expansion which took place on December 30. Sattar, who was the cabinet minister for animal husbandry, fisheries and dairy development in the Congress-NCP government, was expecting his elevation as a cabinet minister. Sattar was vocal against BJP during the formation of Maha Vikas Aghadi and he was visible with Thackeray on his public appearances including latter's visit to untimely rain-hit districts.
Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said Abdul Sattar was made a minister in the Maharashtra cabinet despite the party's limited portfolio quota. Raut stated Sattar would take some time to adjust as he came from a different party.
Raut said, "Sattar has given resignation or not, or for what reason he is happy or not, I don't know. I have read somewhere that he wants a cabinet ministry and therefore he has offered resignation. People have to understand that Sena has a limited number of portfolio quota, even then he has got a minister post."
However, BJP took a swipe on Shiv Sena on Sattar's resignation drama and alleged that Shiv Sena has joined hands with NCP and Congress to grab power in the state.
Congress legislator Kailas Gorantyal resigns
The Congress party, which is ruling ally in the Maha Vikas Aghadi government faced a revolt from the legislator Kailas Gorantyal from Jalna seat after he resigned to protest against the denial of ministerial berth in the state cabinet. Gorantyal, who is a three-term legislator, has submitted his resignation to the district party chief and not to the state assembly speaker Nana Patole.
Gorantyal's 50 plus supporters from the Jalna district Congress and also from the Nagar Panchayat and Zilla Parishad resigned in his support. Senior minister Ashok Chavan and party MP Hussain Dalwai spoke to Gorantyal and asked him to withdraw his resignation.
Gorantyal told FPJ,'' Party has not considered me for the ministerial berth. It is an injustice. I stood with the party in bad times too. Despite Modi wave, Congress party won three Nagar Panchayat elections and a couple of seats in Zilla Parishad and civic body.'' He argued that the party has inducted only two from Marathwada though it had won 8 seats. However, he said the party has included two from Mumbai despite winning fewer seats.
'' Congress party should have focused on regional balance which was not done in the cabinet expansion. Therefore, I have resigned. Let the leadership take a call,'' Gorantyal said.
