Shinde is calling the shots now, not Ajit Pawar: Sena minister

Even though Ajit Pawar has once again become Maharashtra finance minister, Eknath Shinde is now the chief minister and his decision will be final, Shiv Sena leader Deepak Kesarkar said in Mumbai.

One of the reasons cited by the disgruntled Sena MLAs led by Shinde who rebelled against Uddhav Thackeray last year and brought down the Maha Vikas Aghadi government was that Ajit Pawar, then finance minister, did not give funds to their constituencies.

Pawar, who joined the Shinde government earlier this month, was allocated the same portfolio once again, raising questions as to how the Sena MLAs react.

The rebellion of 39 MLAs led by Eknath Shinde was against the injustice faced by Shiv Sena legislators when Uddhav Thackeray was at the helm, Kesarkar, who is now the school education minister, told reporters.

All principles of the party (undivided Shiv Sena) were compromised when a common minimum programme was signed with the NCP and Congress as part of the MVA alliance, he said.

"Then Uddhav Thackeray was CM, now it is Eknath Shinde (who is in that post). Dada (as Ajit Pawar is fondly called) has told me that whatever decisions I take, the final decision is of the CM. There is a CM who takes decisions and Dada will do justice as he has understood why people were upset with him in the past," Kesarkar added.

Ambadas Danve, Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra legislative council, said time is exacting revenge on the Shiv Sena 40 MLAs who rebelled against Uddhav Thackeray.

Danve said the Shiv Sena MLAs had accused Ajit Pawar of depriving them of funds when they were part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government and left the party and today the same person has become the state's finance minister.

Shiv Sena spokesperson and MLC Manisha Kayande said Pawar getting the finance portfolio is bound to raise eyebrows, but she echoed Kesarkar.

"We had issues with Ajit Pawar because the CM was Uddhav Thackeray and he did not do what was expected from him. But now, Eknath Shinde is CM. We expect that Ajit Pawar will not do any injustice and we are sure of it," Kayande said.