'Undeserving MLAs Becoming Ministers'

'If you are going to make undeserving MLAs ministers, then why should sincere and hard-working people like us continue?'

The government formation in Maharashtra seems to have brought to fore the first signs of rebellion within Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena.

Narendra Bhojraj Bhondekar, the Shiv Sena MLA from Bhandara, has resigned as deputy leader and coordinator of eastern Vidarbha districts, blaming Eknath Shinde for reneging on his promise of giving him a ministrerial berth.

"If you don't have any value for your workers' and office bearers' hard work, then what is the point of these positions? I entered the Shiv Sena only after Shinde saheb promised me a ministerial berth. When I first joined him (at Guwahati after the June 2022 rebellion against Uddhav Thackeray's Maha Vikas Aghadi government) he had assured me of a cabinet berth but after the formation of the new government (in 2024) now I was promised a ministry. But I was shocked that my name was not there (among the names of MLAs who took oath as ministers)," says Bhondekar, who had won from Bhandara as an Independent in 2019 and on a Shiv Sena ticket in 2024.

"When I joined him at Guwahati I was given an assurance by Shinde saheb (that I would get a cabinet berth). I have been given repeated assurances but nothing has worked out for me. Now many excuses are being given (for Shinde's inability to accommodate me in the new government)," says Bhondekar.

The BJP won 132 seats, the Shiv Sena 57 and the Nationalist Congress Party won 41 seats in the Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha elections. Their share in the ministry stand at 19 for the BJP, 11 for the Shiv Sena and 9 berths for the NCP.

"I can understand that the numbers are such that the BJP would get the largest number of ministries and there would definitely be some difficulty in accommodating everybody's aspirations and demands," Bhondekar said expressing his displeasure at being sidelined.

Bhondekar's grievance seems more directed towards the 11 ministers who took oath recently even as he made no bones to hide what Shinde had promised him on several occasions.

"If you are going to make undeserving MLAs ministers, those who have made no contributions to the party's growth and welfare, then why should sincere and hard-working people like us continue in these positions and face opposition from our own constituents and supporters?" asks Bhondekar over the phone from Bhandara.

"I am still hopeful that something can be worked out even now; I am likely to meet him (Shinde) this evening. Something good may come out by the end of the day. He said it would be a cabinet berth but later promised to give me a MoS (minister of state).

"I will get a clear answer about under what circumstances was I ignored; what are the reasons for undeserving people getting cabinet berths and ministries."