Maha: Shiv Sena ministers skip Raigad & Nashik district annual plan meetings

Ajit Pawar on Monday did not hold the district annual plan meetings for the financial year 2025-26 of Raigad and Nashik as both the districts do not have a guardian minister due to the rift within the ruling Mahayuti alliance. The meetings were thereby scheduled on Tuesday.

As a part of the preparations for the upcoming state budget, Pawar has been holding a series of meetings with departments. He has also been meeting district administrations to discuss the annual plan for the next fiscal. On Monday, the Finance Minister held a meeting of the Konkan and Nashik divisions. However, the meetings of Raigad and Nashik were not held.

On Tuesday, the state's Women and Child Development Minister and NCP leader Aditi Tatkare attended the meeting called by Pawar. Sena minister Bharat Gogawale, who also hails from Raigad district, was however absent. Gogawale claimed that he had a prior commitment at Fort Raigad where the organisation of Hindutva ideologue Sambhaji Bhide arranged a program.

"More than 40,000 to 50,000 workers of his organisation were to come to Raigad and I had informed about the same to the Chief Minister," he said.

Shiv Sena leader and state's School Education Minister Dadaji Bhuse from Nasik district too did not attend the meeting chaired by Pawar. Bhuse was in Nasik as per his prior commitments.

The appointments of Aditi Tatkare of NCP and Girish Mahajan of BJP as guardian ministers for Raigad and Nashik districts respectively were stayed after Shiv Sena took strong objection. Shiv Sena ministers Bharat Gogawale and Dada Bhuse had staked their claims for Raigad and Nasik district guardian ministers respectively.

When asked about the appointments of guardian ministers, Shiv Sena leader and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde claimed that the issue will be resolved soon.