Maharashtra portfolio allocation: Devendra Fadnavis keeps home, Eknath Shinde gets urban development

Ending weeks of suspense, the Maharashtra government on Saturday announced portfolios for the state's cabinet. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has kept the coveted home ministry for himself whereas deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde has got urban development.

Deputy CM Ajit Pawar will lead the state's finance department. He also got the Excise portfolio.

Shiv Sena's Dadaji Bhuse is the new school education minister while Uday Samant continues to be the industries minister.

Sena's Prakash Abitkar is the new health minister of state while Pratap Sarnaik is the transport minister.

BJP's Chandrashekhar Bawankule gets the revenue department.

The BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP's Mahayuti alliance scored a landslide victory in the Maharashtra assembly election. Shiv Sena had demanded the CM portfolio for Eknath Shinde. However, after several days of drama, Shinde relented and conceded the CM post to Fadnavis.

Later, Eknath Shinde demanded the home portfolio.

Who got which portfolio

Aditi Tatkare got Women & Child Development, Jaykumar Gore Rural Development, Sanjay Shirsat Social Justice.

Dhananjay Munde gets Food & Civil Supplies, Ashok Uike Tribal Development, Ashish Shelar IT, Culture Dept.

Uday Samant gets Industries, Pankaja Munde Environment, Manikrao Kokate gets Agriculture.

Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil gets Water Resources, Hasan Mushrif Medical Education.

Also read: ‘I didn’t want to join government,' a miffed Eknath Shinde tells Shiv Sena leaders

Mangalprabhat Lodha gets Skill Development. Chandrakant Patil gets Higher and technical education.

The delay in the allocation of portfolios sparked speculation of discord in the ruling alliance.

Earlier today, the opposition alleged that the winter session of the Maharashtra legislature was held only for formality as ministers couldn't resolve outstanding issues in the absence of portfolios.

Also read: Was Eknath Shinde upset? What Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis said about his two deputies

Addressing a press conference on the sixth and concluding day of the session in Nagpur, the leader of the opposition in the legislative council, Ambadas Danve, said the government only highlighted old schemes and promises in the legislature.

"Though the Mahayuti government was formed 15 days back and the cabinet was also expanded, portfolios are yet to be allocated. This session saw ministers sitting in the legislature without ministries. This session was just a formality," Danve added.

With inputs from PTI