NAGPUR: A month after Eknath Shinde and Devendra Fadnavis were sworn in as Maharashtra’s chief minister and deputy CM, respectively, cabinet’s expansion still hasn’t happened. The duo is facing flak from all quarters for inordinately delaying the decision to appoint ministers on various ministries.
Netas and activists from not only the opposition but also from the ruling dispensation are flaying the new government, as many important works in various departments have stalled in absence of ministers. The departments included agriculture, education, relief and rehabilitation and others.
On TOI’s query over government’s expansion plans, Fadnavis said that they would “do it as early as possible” but did not specify the date.
Legislators cutting across party lines are also upset as the monsoon session, which usually takes place in July, has been delayed.
During his visit to the city on Friday, leader of opposition Ajit Pawar had taken potshots at Shinde and Fadnavis for not expanding the cabinet. He made it clear that unless guardian ministers were not appointed for all the 37 districts, the administration would be on a standstill and aggrieved farmers from the flood-hit regions will not get help.
State Congress president Nana Patole, who too was in the city, accused Shinde-Fadnavis duo of acting against provisions in the Constitution which make appointment of ministers mandatory. Quoting Article 164 of the Constitution, he said the ministers would be appointed by the governor on CM’s advice. “Governor BS Koshyari is not asking the new government why it is not appointing ministers and allotting portfolios,” he said.
As per sources from higher education department, pending work is piling up in absence of a minister. They said that appointment of vice chancellors in a couple of universities, including Pune, was being delayed. “For appointment of VCs , the chancellor constitutes a search committee that comprises a senior official from the government. But in the absence of ministers, the name is not being finalized.”
The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government had amended the ‘Maharashtra Public Universities Act, 2016’ by reducing the chancellor’s powers and made higher education minister pro-chancellor of all universities. Koshyari had not cleared the bill and asked the universities to follow the old process of appointment. “As per the amendment cleared in December last year by the assembly, the governor now cannot make direct appointments of VC. The higher education minister would recommend names,” said sources.
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