Decency Personified
One of my life’s most cherished letters was from Dr Manmohan Singh in 2019 when he replied, “I am very grateful to you for writing a strong rebuttal to the controversy around the Accidental Prime Minister”.
With different ministries handed over to Maharashtra MLAs cabinet on Monday, state minister and state Congress chief Balasaheb Thorat on Wednesday said party MLA Sangram Thopte, who was miffed at not getting a ministerial berth, has been pacified and assured that he will get his due. Thorat also dismissed rumours of unrest in the Congress over allocation of portfolios. Everyone cannot be accommodated as there is a three-party alliance government in the state, the Congress leader told reporters here. “I spoke to Sangram Thopte last night. The Congress isa family and he will get his due,” he said.
“Since we are part of a three-party government, we got less ministerial berths,” the Congress leader said. Some supporters of Mr Thopte, who is the Congress MLA from Bhor, on Tuesday attacked the party office in Pune to protest against his non-inclusion in the state ministry.
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The police late Tuesday night arrested 19 supporters of Mr Thopte and later released them on bail. Mr Thorat also dismissed rumours of unrest in the party over portfolio allocation. “Discussions are on and the allocation of portfoliosis expected today,” he said.
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Met honourable @INCIndia President Sonia Gandhiji in Delhi along with all the newly inducted ministers of Maharashtra. At the meeting @INCIndia general secretary @kcvenugopalmp ji and @INCMaharashtra state in-charge Mallikarjun @kharge ji were present. pic.twitter.com/ER4f1YDQPY
— Balasaheb Thorat (@bb_thorat) December 31, 2019
Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray expanded his month-old ministry on Monday by inducting 36 ministers, taking its total strength to 43. Following the expansion, the NCP now has 12 Cabinet ministers and four ministers of state, the Shiv Sena has 10 Cabinet ministers and four MoS, while the Congress has 10 Cabinet ministers and two MoS in the Thackeray-led government.
The Shiv Sena, led by Thackeray, joined hands with the Congress and NCP, its traditional adversaries, after its alliance with the BJP collapsed over the issue of sharing the chief ministerial post following the state Assembly polls held in October last year.
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