Shiv Sena deserved cabinet berth: MP Shrirang Barne

A day after the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) formed the government, Shrirang Barne, an MP of Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde from Maval, expressed his displeasure over the party not getting a cabinet berth and alleged partiality.

Prataprao Jadhav of Shinde Sena was the sole representation in the new Narendra Modi-led government who took oath as a Minister of State (independent charge) on Sunday.

“Even parties that won only one seat received cabinet berths.For example, HD Kumaraswamy of JD(S), whose two MPs got elected, secured two berths, and Jitan Ram Manjhi, who won one seat from Bihar, was also given a cabinet berth,” said Barne.

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Seven MPs of Shiv Sena won; in Maharashtra and Shiv Sena fought on 15 seats, BJP fought on 28 seats and won on 9 seats.

“We have seven seats and expected that BJP will give us one cabinet minister and one minister of state. Shiv Sena is an old alliance of the BJP and the cabinet minister post should have been given to us,” he said.

Barne, said, “I feel this is partiality with Shiv Sena and the BJP has not done justice. Considering the upcoming assembly elections the BJP should have taken a justified stand towards Shiv Sena. Under the leadership of Eknath Shinde, the Shiv Sena party has played a pivotal role in Maharashtra and changed the government.”

Shrikant Shinde, Shiv Sena party leader in Lok Sabha, however, clarified that the party was supporting the government unconditionally.

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Shrikant Shinde stated, “We have already made it clear that we are supporting the government unconditionally. This nation has asked and needs the leadership of Prime Minister Modi. There’s no bargaining or negotiation for power.”

“We have extended an unconditional support to an ideological coalition. We want Prime Minister Modi to carry forward the noble work of nation-building. The party, all MLAs and MPs are faithfully committed to the NDA,” he added.

In the new government, BJP MPs Nitin Gadkari and Piyush Goyal were retained as Cabinet ministers. Raksha Khadse, BJP’s lone woman MP from Maharashtra, and first-time MP Murlidhar Mohol were sworn in as Ministers of State.

Among BJP’s allies, RPI (A) chief Ramdas Athawale was retained as an MoS with an independent charge, while Prataprao Jadhav was inducted as an MoS with an independent charge.

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Notably, the NCP led by deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, a member of the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance, on Sunday refused to accept the Minister of State offer, demanding a cabinet berth for Rajya Sabha member Praful Patel referring to his experience.