Shiv Sena MLA Narendra Bhondekar resigns from all party positions after not being included in the recent Maharashtra cabinet expansion, despite previous promises by party leader Eknath Shinde.
File Pic
Narendra Bhondekar, Shiv Sena MLA from Bhandara, has resigned from all party positions, expressing disappointment over his exclusion from the Maharashtra cabinet in the recent expansion. Bhondekar, who previously served as the Shiv Sena’s deputy leader and co-ordinator for eastern Vidarbha, claimed that he had been promised a cabinet berth by the party leadership, but was left out when the cabinet was formed.
ADVERTISEMENT
Speaking to the press in Bhandara on Sunday, Bhondekar, who won his seat in the November 20 state elections by defeating his Congress rival with a significant margin of over 38,000 votes, expressed his dissatisfaction with the current cabinet expansion. He emphasised that he had hoped to be appointed as the guardian minister of Bhandara district to work on its development, a position that has long been held by outsiders and has, according to him, resulted in stagnation in addressing the district’s issues.
The recent cabinet expansion, which took place under the leadership of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, saw 39 legislators being sworn in, with 16 new faces in the ministry. While the BJP, being the largest party among the Mahayuti allies, secured 19 ministerial posts, the Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) were allocated 11 and 9 positions, respectively. Bhondekar, however, found himself left out despite his previous assurances from Shinde.
In his resignation statement, Bhondekar said, “I joined Shiv Sena with the understanding that I would be given a cabinet berth. This was promised to me by Shinde, and I even supported him when he became chief minister as an independent MLA.” Bhondekar also claimed that his name was considered for a ministerial post in the previous cabinet expansion, but ultimately, his exclusion led to his resignation.
While Bhondekar intends to continue working as an ordinary member of the party, he has made it clear that he no longer seeks an official position within the Shiv Sena. He reiterated his desire to see Bhandara’s issues addressed through local leadership rather than relying on external ministers, and awaits a response to his resignation from party leaders.
(With inputs from PTI)
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
