Mumbai (PTI): Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Monday alleged that the Mahayuti government's handling of the appointment of guardian minister was a sign of internal discord in the alliance.
The state government on Saturday announced guardian ministers for 36 districts of the state, but a day later, issued an order to stay the appointments for Nashik and Raigad.
NCP's Aditi Tatkare was appointed as the guardian minister for Raigad, while BJP leader Girish Mahajan was given the responsibility of Nashik.
Talking to reporters, Raut said, "The government is failing to manage its internal conflicts. (Deputy Chief Minister) Eknath Shinde's anger over the allocation of guardian ministers is clear, and his authority is being questioned."
The Rajya Sabha MP was reacting to reports of Eknath Shinde's dissatisfaction over the appointments for Raigad and Nashik.
He also hinted that state Industries Minister and Shiv Sena leader Uday Samant might be groomed as a possible replacement for Shinde.
According to sources, Shinde has suddenly left for Daregaon, officially citing personal reasons for his four-day visit. However, political insiders speculate that his departure was linked to his dissatisfaction over the portfolios.
Raut claimed the growing discord could lead to a shift in the power dynamics.
"It seems Uday Samant is being groomed as a possible replacement for Shinde. If Shinde cannot control his ministers, how can he lead?" he questioned.
Amid reports of discontent, Ministers Chandrashekhar Bawankule and Girish Mahajan have left for Daregaon to meet Shinde and address his concerns. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is currently in Davos for the World Economic Forum.
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Pratapgarh (UP) (PTI): Four people were booked here for the abduction and assault of a man who they allegedly tied to a tree and beat up, police said on Wednesday.
The incident, a video of which has gone viral, took place on Tuesday afternoon under the Kunda police station limits.
The FIR was registered on Wednesday evening based on a complaint from the victim's father.
According to Keshav Prasad Yadav, a resident of Mauli village, some people called his 18-year-old son Nikhil Yadav on the phone and asked him to come out of his house around 2.30 pm on Tuesday.
As he reached outside the village as instructed, the accused allegedly forced him into a car and took him towards the Tinpedwa forest area, where they tied him to a tree and assaulted, the complainant said.
The attackers also recorded a video of the incident and circulated it on social media. The purported video shows the men thrashing Nikhil one after another, while one of them is assumed to have recorded the act.
Kunda Station House Officer Manoj Pandey confirmed the incident and said efforts are underway to identify and arrest all the accused.
Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav has shared the video on social media, describing the incident as reflective of a "dominant mindset" against the PDA (Pichda or Backward, Dalit, and Alpasankhyak or Minority), and demanded strict action against the accused.
