Ajit has his way, gets Finance in Maha Cabinet rejig

New Delhi, July 14

Portfolios have been allocated to the newly inducted breakaway NCP ministers in the Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government with Deputy CM Ajit Pawar getting the Finance and Planning ministries. Sources said prior to the official announcement of the portfolios, Ajit was briefed by the secretaries of the Finance and Planning departments. His new office will be on the fifth floor of the state Mantralaya, which will also serve as the office of the Deputy Chief Minister.

After he broke away from the Sharad Pawar-founded party, Ajit and eight other NCP leaders were sworn in as ministers on July 2. They were given their portfolios on Friday.

According to a statement by the Chief Minister’s office, Dhananjay Munde has been given Agriculture, while Dilip Walse-Patil will be the new Cooperation Minister.

The other NCP ministers with their allocated ministries are Hasan Mushrif (Medical Education), Chhagan Bhujbal (Food and Civil Supplies), Dharmrao Atram (Food and Drugs Administration), Sanjay Bansode (Sports), Aditi Tatkare (Women and Child Development) and Anil Patil (Relief, Rehabilitation and Disaster Management), it said.