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The first day of the Narendra Modi Government was not without any hiccups.
Ministers Anant Geete of the Shiv Sena and Ananth Kumar of the BJP refused to take charge in their Ministries — heavy industries and chemicals and fertilisers, respectively.
Apparently, they were disappointed with the portfolios allotted to them. The Ministers, however, attended the first Cabinet meeting chaired by Modi here on Tuesday.
Sources in Shiv Sena said what irked them was not the portfolio but the treatment meted out by the BJP. A Sena leader told Business Line that BJP president Rajnath Singh had told Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray that the portfolios will be decided upon after holding parleys with the parties.
“We came to know about the portfolio from the media,” the leader added.
Thackeray was here to attend the swearing-in ceremony. The party was expecting at least two Cabinet berths but the BJP was ready to offer just one berth to its largest ally. The allocation of heavy industries further angered the Sena leadership, which has conveyed its displeasure to the BJP.
The sources said the other NDA partners, such as the TDP and the LJP, got better treatment from the BJP leadership. The Sena wanted the more high-profile infrastructure ministry.
Sources indicated that talks are still on between both the parties. The BJP may not want to annoy its ally further as elections to the Maharashtra Assembly are just six months away. The NDA had an impressive performance in the Lok Sabha elections and to repeat that the BJP may have to keep the Shiv Sena in good humour.
Ananth Kumar, a senior general secretary in the BJP, is also unhappy. He had handled ministries like civil aviation and urban development in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Cabinet. Sources close to him said he felt let down after being asked to take oath in the 13th position, after Kalraj Mishra, Maneka Gandhi and Sadanand Gowda. Kumar is also said to be eyeing a key infrastructure ministry. However, there is no indication from the BJP leadership of any move to placate him.
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