Maha Cabinet portfolio distribution to conclude by Monday

The Mumbai chief of the Nationalist Congress Party Nawab Malik on Saturday told reporters that the allocation of ministerial portfolios in Maharashtra would be completed by Monday. Malik said the allocation had been delayed because the Uddhav Thackeray government was thinking about creating new departments.

Mumbai: Distribution of portfolios among ministers in Maharashtra will be completed by Monday, said NCP leader and minister Nawab Malik on Saturday.

Speaking to reporters here, Malik said that the government is mulling over creating some new departments, causing the delay.

"The reason for the delay is not due to anything else but because we are considering creating new departments, so its taking time. Portfolios will be allocated by Monday," he said.

On December 31, 36 leaders of NCP, Congress and Shiv Sena were sworn-in as ministers but they are yet to get departments.

Rumours were rife that over-ambition of Congress was to be blamed for the delay of the portfolio distribution. However, it has now been refuted by the minister who said no party was behind the delay.

"The delay is not because of any specific party in the government," he said, adding that some ministries including one related to the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) and metro works on in talks.

MLA and Chief Minister's son, Aditya Thackeray, will be given the proposed department looking after the operations of the CMO, according to talks in political circles of Maharashtra.

Leaders of Congress, NCP, and Shiv Sena that constitute Maha Vikas Aghadi put their heads together on Thursday to finalize the department distribution. After the meeting, Congress leader Ashok Chavan said that the issues pertaining to portfolio distribution have been resolved.