Maharashtra cabinet portfolios: Ajit Pawar may get Finance Dept, say sources

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Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar is likely to get the finance portfolio and Aaditya Thackeray could get the environment and tourism portfolios in the newly formed coalition government, according to sources. Congress leader Ashok Chavan may get the public work department.  Meanwhile, news agency ANI quoted Ajit Pawar as saying that the allocation of portfolios to newly-inducted ministers will be done by Thursday evening. "I had said yesterday also that things are clear as far as portfolio distribution to ministers is concerned, by the end of today, allocation of portfolios will be done," Pawar said. 

Pawar also clarified his stand over reports of him not taking Mantralaya room number 602 and said that he doesn't believe in superstitions. "I am taking another cabin for some other reason. I dont want to make any unnecessary renovation work in room number 602," ANI quoted Pawar as saying.

The key Irrigation department may go to Congress' Jayant Patil, and Jitendra Awhad may get housing development, sources said.

A total of 36 ministers, including Cabinet Minister and Minister of State ranks, took oath on December 30. 

Amid murmurs of resentment over distribution of ministries between alliance partners Shiv Sena, the Congress and the NCP in Maharashtra, leaders of the three parties held marathon meetings on Wednesday to finalise the allocation of portfolios. The cabinet was expanded on Monday with induction of 36 ministers which took its strength to 43, including chief minister Uddhav Thackeray.

Ashok Chavan, Balasaheb Thorat, Vijay Wadettiwar and Nitin Raut from the Congress, Jayant Patil and Ajit Pawar from the NCP and Eknath Shinde from the Shiv Sena met Thackeray to discuss allocation of ministries. 

News agency PTI reported that all three parties are facing disgruntlement of leaders who were not inducted in the cabinet.

According to Congress sources, the party is upset that it was not given any of the ministries which have a bearing on rural areas, such as agriculture and cooperation. Congress leaders, sources said, feel that the party has not got agriculture, co-operation, housing and rural development ministries which are concerned with rural parts of the state.