Mumbai: Two staunch supporters of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde – MLA Sanjay Shirsat and former MP Hemant Patil – who had deserted Uddhav Thackeray to join the Mahayuti, will get short stints as ministers.

About The Appointment

Shirsat, who is also officiating as the party spokesman, has been appointed chairman of the Cash and landrich City & Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO). The CIDCO chairmanship comes with the rank of minister for Shirsat, who was denied a cabinet berth as there were already two ministers from the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district –  Atul Save and Abdul Sattar.

Patil, who had represented the Hingoli Lok Sabha constituency but was denied the party ticket in the 2024 general election, has been appointed the chairman of the Balasaheb Thackeray Haridra (Turmeric) Research and Training Centre (HBTHRATC), a classified government company under the state department of agriculture. He too has now been given the rank of a minister.

These two appointments come shortly before the state assembly elections scheduled in November. With the announcement of the election schedule expected in the first week of October, Shirsat and Patil will enjoy this status for 20-25 days. Once the schedule is out, the election code of conduct will come into force and the status will become meaningless, said an official from Mantralaya. Both Shirsat and Patil are most likely to contest the upcoming polls. Both Patil and Shirsat are from the Marathwada region, where the Shinde group is trying to strengthen its roots.

Mumbai: In a bid to quell potential dissent in the ruling Shiv Sena ahead of assembly polls, the Eknath Shinde-led government on Monday appointed former MP Anandrao Adsul and party MLA Sanjay Shirsat on key bodies.

Shirsat has been appointed the chairman of the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO), one of the richest state government undertakings.

Shirsat is one of the Shiv Sena MLAs who was vocal about his disappointment over not getting a cabinet position in the past.

According to an order issued by the Urban Development Department, headed by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, the Cidco chairman’s post is equivalent to cabinet rank.

Siddhesh Kadam, son of Sena leader Ramdas Kadam, was made the chairman of the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board.

Shinde also appointed his party colleague and former MP Anandrao Adsul as the chairman of the Maharashtra State Scheduled Caste and Tribes Commission.

A government order issued on Monday stated that the tenure of the appointment would be for the next one-and-a-half years or till the next government order is out.

Adsul had earlier claimed that he had been promised to be made governor of a state, but Sena did not follow through.

Dharmpal Meshram, vice president of the state BJP and its spokesperson, has been appointed deputy chairperson of the State Scheduled Caste and Tribes Commission for a three-year term.

The state government recently granted cabinet rank to the chairman of Balasaheb Thackeray Turmeric Research and Training Centre (BTTRTC) in Vasmat tehsil of Hingoli district.

Established in 2022, the BTTRTC was initially headed by former MP Hemant Patil.

The state government Monday elevated the post of Hemant Patil to the rank of a cabinet minister.

Political observers stated that Shinde is trying to pacify his colleagues disappointed over various reasons.

Mumbai: Senior Congress leader and MLA of the Mumbadevi assembly constituency, Amin Patel, made a surprise visit to Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ residence on Monday morning, sparking widespread discussion in political circles.

Purpose Of The Visit

Patel clarified that his visit had two purposes: first, to seek blessings from the household Ganpati, and second, to request Fadnavis’ assistance in ensuring police cooperation for the Eid-e-Milad processions planned for the day after Ganpati Visarjan, which falls on September 18.