NCP Maharashtra president Sunil Tatkare has clarified that there is “no difference of opinion” between NDA allies BJP and the Ajit Pawar faction of NCP regarding the allocation of cabinet berths in Narendra Modi’s record-equalling third term Union Council of Ministers.
The NCP on Sunday turned down the offer to accommodate Praful Patel as a minister of state with independent charge in the new NDA government and said it was assured that “remedial measures” would be taken. Patel, the working president of BJP ally NCP, argued that since he had already served as a Cabinet minister in the Union government, assuming office as a minister of state with independent charge would be a “demotion” for him.
Power-sharing
As per the power-sharing arrangements, the NCP was offered one post in the Council of Ministers of the NDA government led by PM Modi. “The BJP offered the seat to Praful Patel because it’s a MoS position, which we cannot accept for him as he has held a higher position before. But, there is an option being explored to secure us three Rajya Sabha seats: one vacated by Praful Patel and one more. That will strengthen our central-level position,” said Tatkare.
Earlier, BJP leaders Devendra Fadnavis and Vinod Tawde called on Patel, who was reportedly upset at the “demotion” in the Union government. The NCP has two members in the Parliament — Patel in the Rajya Sabha and Sunil Tatkare in the Lok Sabha. The NCP is likely to increase its tally in the Rajya Sabha by two in the next few months.
Fadnavis said the BJP had decided on a criteria for handing out ministerial berths to coalition partners on the basis of their strengths in the Parliament. “We cannot twist the criteria for one party. The NCP will be accommodated in the future whenever their will be an expansion of the Cabinet as they had requested for a Cabinet rank in the Council of Ministers,” Fadnavis, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister said.
Loss of Baramati
NCP president Ajit Pawar said he supported the NDA and was seen at the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Modi. Earlier, Ajit’s NCP, part of the ruling alliance in Maharashtra along with the BJP and the Shiv Sena, performed poorly in the Lok Sabha polls and won just one seat (Raigad) from the four it contested. It also lost the prestige battle in Baramati, where Ajit Pawar’s wife, Sunetra Pawar, was trounced by sitting NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) MP Supriya Sule.
On Monday, Sule said she was not surprised that the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) did not get a berth in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s new cabinet. Speaking to reporters here on the 25th foundation day of the NCP, founded by her father, the Baramati MP said as the NDA holds its first cabinet meeting, it should grant full loan waiver for farmers.
“During the UPA regime, the NCP worked as an ally in the Manmohan Singh government. Manmohan ji showed trust and love towards Pawar saheb, and he got two and a half cabinet berths although the party had only eight or nine MPs at the time,” she said. The Congress did not think about numbers and respected the party as its ally, she said.
(With agency inputs)
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