Intense Struggle for Guardian Minister Positions in Maharashtra’s Mahayuti Government

Mumbai: While the cabinet distribution of the Mahayuti government has been finalized, the battle for the position of Guardian Minister remains unresolved. There is significant competition for the Guardian Minister position in districts like Beed, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Raigad, Nashik, and Satara, with local leaders vying for the position. According to sources, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will likely take over as the Guardian Minister for Thane, while Ajit Pawar will likely be appointed as the Guardian Minister for Pune.

With the winter session of the legislature over, the ministers are now focusing on administrative work. Meanwhile, the competition for the Guardian Minister positions has intensified, especially as ministers want to secure this key post for their respective districts.

In Beed, both Pankaja Munde and Dhananjay Munde (cousins) have successfully secured ministerial posts. However, due to allegations against Dhananjay Munde in the Santosh Deshmukh murder case, there were doubts about his appointment. Ultimately, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar showed confidence in him. Now, Dhananjay Munde is pushing for the Beed Guardian Minister position, while Pankaja Munde is also keen to secure this post.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has assured that a judicial inquiry will be conducted into the Santosh Deshmukh murder case, with strict action against the guilty. However, due to this controversy, it seems difficult for Dhananjay Munde to become the Guardian Minister for Beed, which could work in favor of Pankaja Munde.

Raigad’s Battle: Gogawe vs. Aditi Tatkare

In Raigad, Bharat Gogawe has staked his claim for the Guardian Minister post, but Women and Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare is also eager to retain the post. Chief Minister Fadnavis will need to resolve this dispute.

Sambhajinagar’s Fight: Shirsat vs. Sawae

In Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Shivsena Shinde faction’s Minister Sanjay Shirsat has claimed the Guardian Minister post, saying, “I have been working with Shiv Sena for the last 40 years. I will be the Guardian Minister of Sambhajinagar.” However, BJP leader and OBC Welfare Minister Atul Save has also staked his claim for the same position.

Other expected appointments include Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil for Ahmednagar, Manikrao Kokate for Nashik, Girish Mahajan for Jalgaon, Hasan Mushrif for Kolhapur, Meghna Bordikar for Parbhani, Akash Fundkar for Buldhana, Uday Samant for Ratnagiri, Nitesh Rane for Sindhudurg, Mangal Prabhat Lodha for Mumbai City, Ashish Shelar for Mumbai Suburban, and Jaykumar Raval for Dhule.

Pune’s Guardian Minister Post: A Clash Between Two Leaders

The Guardian Minister position for Pune is one of the most discussed posts, with a possible confrontation between Ajit Pawar from the NCP and BJP’s Chandrakant Patil. Both leaders are vying for the position, leading to speculation that a verbal clash may occur within the Mahayuti alliance.

Satara’s Complex Situation

Satara district also faces a tense situation as multiple Cabinet ministers, including Shivendrasinhraje Bhosale, Shambhuraj Desai, Jaykumar Gore, and Makrand Jadhav-Patil, are claiming the Guardian Minister position. The real battle for this position lies between Shivendrasinhraje and Shambhuraj Desai.