Mumbai 9 August : Shortly after the much-anticipated mini Cabinet expansion with the induction of 18 members on Tuesday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde came under fire from a variety of sources for not including women in the cabinet, but including three legislators who are allegedly corrupted as well as exclusion of smaller parties and independents. In this way, the total number of Cabinet ministers has increased up to 20 comprising Shinde and BJP’s deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, less than half of the overall strength of 43.
Tuesday’s exercise was intended to “sailing through” the coming Monsoon Session of the Assembly beginning on August 17 and then the following stage of expansion with the Cabinet’s ranks and other positions in the MoS will be completed later.
Despite the presence of many women MLAs in both Shinde group (three) and the BJP (12) The two parties have not taken note of them at least for the time being41 days after the government’s election was inaugurated on June 30.
However three MLAs who have been allegedly scarred three MLAs, two from the Shinde camp, and another from BJP currently serve as ministers — Abdul Sattar, Sanjay Rathod (Shinde group) and BJP’s Vijaykumar.
Shiv Sena leader Kishori Pednekar and BJP’s Chitra Wagh have slammed the Chief Minster for appointing Rathod who served as minister in the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi government , which was headed by the former CM Uddhav Thackeray.
Rathod was forced to leave in February 2021 due to allegations of the death of a social media celebrity, Pooja Chavan.
Wagh on Tuesday said she would continue her fight for justice to the victims while Pednekar stated that the BJP had demanded the removal of Rathod from the Cabinet and have retracted him.
Sattar’s relatives’ name is popping in the course of investigation in the ongoing investigation into the TET fraud, but he has denied involvement in the scam and stated his willingness to confront any investigation.
The BJP’s Gavit was identified in the suspected Rs 6,000 crore scam in the department of tribal between 2002 and 2006.
The scam was later investigated by the Justice M.G.Gaikwad panel.
In the meantime, NCP Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule and Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi took pot shots at Shinde-Fadnavis, who was not able to include women in the Cabinet.
“I I would prefer that she had been like the Prime Minister.It’s sad to note that of the 18 ministers who were sworn-in on Tuesday, only one woman has sworn in,” said Sule, noting that Maharashtra was the first state in the country to grant the right to women who make up 50 percent of the total population.
“Spot one woman sitting on the dais.Be patient and there was none.” Chaturvedi tweeted with a photo of the solely male oath ceremony in the Raj Bhavan.
There are currently 28 women lawmakers including 25 MLAs in the lower house of 288 members in addition to three MLCs in the upper house of the state legislature.
Responding to the criticisms, Fadnavis later assured that representation will soon be granted to women MLAs in the Cabinet of the state.
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