CM Reverses Decision, Names Sena Minister MSRTC Head

Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik to be Appointed MSRTC Head in Move to Placate Shinde, Show United Front

- Surendra P Gangan

MUMBAI: Days after chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and his deputy Eknath Shinde jointly rubbished reports of a rift between them, Fadnavis reversed his own decision of appointing a bureaucrat to head the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) and has cleared the decks for the appointment of transport minister and Shiv Sena leader Pratap Sarnaik as chairman of the corporation.

The CM's decision last month to appoint a bureaucrat was perceived as the result of the tussle that has been brewing between him and Shinde ever since the formation of the Mahayuti 2.0 government in December 2024. The latest move could be a bid to pacify Shinde, who has been disgruntled on account of Fadnavis staying a series of decisions and projects launched or announced by him during his tenure as chief minister of the previous Mahayuti government.