Maharashtra: Shinde Sena ministers skip Cabinet meeting after party leaders join BJP

Leaders of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena group did not attend the Maharashtra Cabinet meeting on Tuesday after defections from the faction to the Bharatiya Janata Party ahead of local body elections, reported PTI.

Only Shinde, who is the deputy chief minister, was part of the meeting.

Maharashtra’s ruling Mahayuti alliance includes the BJP, the Shinde Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party group led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.

Earlier on Tuesday, Shinde Sena leaders Anmol Mhatre, son of former Dombivli corporator Vaman Mhatre, former corporator Mahesh Patil, Sunita Patil and Sayali Vichare joined the BJP, reported Deccan Herald.

Others who were inducted into the Hindutva party were Anmol Mhatre’s wife Ashwini Mhatre, Shinde Sena youth wing leader Gajanan Joshi, the wing’s chief Omkar Surve, Madhuri Salunke, Sushma Sawant, Alka Kolte, Savitatai Shelar, Laxmitai Ranbhare and Shraddha Mane, among others.

Following this, four Shinde Sena ministers, including Gulabrao Patil, Sanjay Shirsat and Pratap Sarnaik, met BJP leader and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, reported The Hindu. They expressed discontent about the BJP allegedly poaching Shinde Sena leaders, the newspaper reported.

However, Fadnavis told the ministers that it was the Shinde Sena that had first started inducting BJP leaders in Ulhasnagar, according to the newspaper.

Fadnavis said that parties of the Mahayuti should not induct each other’s leaders from now on, The Hindu reported.

“The chief minister said...

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