‘Ajit Pawar’s NCP declined MoS berth’

Mumbai: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday said the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party wanted a cabinet berth in the Narendra Modi government and declined an offer from the BJP of minister of state (MoS) with independent charge. “We had offered one berth of minister with independent charge to the NCP but it was insistent that (Rajya Sabha MP) Praful Patel’s name be finalised.

Due to his (Patel’s) experience, the NCP believed he could not be made MoS with independent charge,” he said. “In a coalition government, a formula has to be drawn, which cannot be broken for one party. I can confidently say whenever cabinet expansion takes place, the (Union) government will consider the NCP. We did try to include NCP right now, but they insisted on cabinet portfolio,” the senior BJP leader asserted.

Meanwhile, speaking to reporters in Delhi, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar asserted the NCP “was ready to wait” but wanted a cabinet berth.