The Shiv Sena on Saturday dismissed reports that one of its ministers in the coalition government in Maharashtra, Abdul Sattar, has resigned and said he would meet party boss and Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday.
Sattar, an MLA from Sillod in Aurangabad district, had distanced himself from the Congress before the assembly elections. People familiar with the development said they were unhappy with the party leadership being made Minister of State and not being given a cabinet berth. He was also asked to be angry at the party’s stand to support the Congress for the election of Aurangabad District Council President.
Earlier on Saturday morning, there was speculation about the minister’s position after he resigned, reportedly for ignoring the berth of the cabinet.
Sattar himself has not spoken yet, but Arjun Khotkar, the army leader who met him in Aurangabad this morning, called the news of the minister’s resignation a rumor.
Sattar has not resigned. These are rumors. He will meet Uddhav Ji at Matoshree tomorrow afternoon. Sattar also spoke to senior Shiv Sena leader and minister Eknath Shinde.
The political drama that threatened to resign is seen as a setback for the Shiv Sena and the Maharashtra Development Government. The army immediately went into damage control mode after sending sentiments through local leaders. Army insiders said that as a junior minister in the Sattar government, Plum could try to unload the portfolio.
Sattar, who was earlier a cabinet minister in the Congress-NCP governments, was expected to be given a cabinet berth from Sina Kote this time too. Many Shiv Sena leaders are unhappy after Thackeray was given cabinet ministers and two junior ministerial posts to three independent MLAs who supported the government.
Senior Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said that he was not aware of Sattar’s resignation but added, “The army does not have many portfolios in its quota and therefore all have to be accommodated. I think the Chief Minister has Abdul Sattar Has honored G. and made him a minister. Those who are troubled [not made ministers] are not originally from the military. They have to adjust the system Mitigation will take time. “
