FADNAVIS GETS PLUM PORTFOLIOS IN CABINET

Home, finance and planning, law and judiciary, water resources, housing all with deputy CM

- SANJAY JOG

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde made portfolio allocations on Sunday, five days after expanding his cabinet, with his deputy Devendra Fadnavis getting several plum positions.

Shinde himself will hold general administration, urban development, information technology, DGIPR, MSRDC, transport, marketing, social justice and special assistance, relief and rehabilitation, disaster management, soil and water conservation, environment, minority affairs and departments that have not been allocated yet.

However, Fadnavis will be in charge of home, finance and planning, law and judiciary, water resources, housing, energy and protocol. Home (Dilip Wales-Patil), finance and planning (Ajit Pawar), water resources (Jayant Patil) and housing (Jitendra Awhad) were all held by the NCP. By keeping these major departments, Fadnavis plans to checkmate the party, which used its clout to increase its organisational base in the state.