Mamata Banerjee meets Shiv Sena leaders Aaditya Thackeray, Sanjay Raut
Mumbai, Nov 30: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday met Shiv Sena leaders Aaditya Thackeray and Sanjay Raut here.
The meeting was seen as an outreach to fellow opposition leaders by the Trinamool Congress supremo.
Banerjee, on a visit to Maharashtra, was scheduled to meet Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray earlier, but as he is unwell, she met his son and minister Aaditya Thackeray, sources said.
Aaditya also gave her a copy of a coffee- table book of his father's photographs, sources added.
Earlier in the day, Banerjee visited the famous Siddhi Vinayak temple here.
The West Bengal chief minister also paid her respects at the memorial of police constable Tukaram Ombale who died fighting terrorists during the 2008 Mumbai terror attack.
Banerjee is also scheduled to meet NCP president Sharad Pawar.
Her meeting with opposition leaders comes amid a strain in the ties between the TMC and Congress.
After its landslide victory in West Bengal earlier this year, the TMC has inducted several Congress leaders in its fold. Recently, 12 out of 17 Congress MLAs in Meghalaya defected to the TMC, making it the principal opposition party.
This evening, @rautsanjay61 ji and I called on West Bengal CM @MamataOfficial didi, during her visit to Maharashtra. The bond between CM Uddhav Thackeray ji and CM Mamata Didi is strong.
— Aaditya Thackeray (@AUThackeray) November 30, 2021
Discussed various things including working together for tourism for our States. pic.twitter.com/S37OVjbpRE
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Overlooked for cabinet berth, Shiv Sena MLA quits party posts
Mumbai (PTI): Shiv Sena MLA Narendra Bhondekar has resigned from all party posts while expressing disappointment at not being included in the Maharashtra cabinet.
Speaking to reporters in Bhandara on Sunday, Bhondekar, who was the Shiv Sena's deputy leader and co-ordinator for eastern Vidarbha districts, claimed his party head and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had promised him a cabinet berth.
Bhondekar said he aspired to secure a cabinet berth to become the guardian minister of Bhandara district and work for its development.
He won from the Bhandara constituency by defeating his Congress rival by more than 38,000 votes in the November 20 state polls.
A total of 39 legislators from Mahayuti allies were sworn in on Sunday in the first cabinet expansion of the Devendra Fadnavis-led ministry including 16 new faces, while 10 former ministers were excluded.
While the BJP secured 19 ministerial berths by virtue of being the largest party among allies, Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) were allotted 11 and 9 berths, respectively.
Bhondekar said, "I joined the Shiv Sena on the condition that I would be given a cabinet berth. Shinde had even promised me the same. When Shinde became chief minister in the previous government, I was an independent MLA and extended support to him."
The Sena leader claimed his name was also considered for a ministerial position during the last cabinet expansion (of the previous Mahayuti government).
"When I reviewed the cabinet list and realised I was omitted, I decided to step down from all positions in the party," he said.
Bhondekar said he intended to secure a cabinet post to become the guardian minister of Bhandara district, but he will now serve as an ordinary party worker.
Bhandara district consistently had an outsider as the guardian minister for several years. Such a practice has hindered the resolution of issues affecting the district, he claimed.
"I no longer have the mindset to hold any official position. I have submitted my resignation to my party leaders and await their response," Bhondekar said.
