Sena admits to tussle among Maharashtra allies for Cabinet berths

The Shiv Sena on Thursday admitted that there was a tussle among senior leaders of the three ruling alliance parties in Maharashtra for key Cabinet berths,and said some MLAs could not be inducted as ministers because the list of "probables" was huge. It also took a dim view of some people vandalising the Congress office in Pune to protest against non-inclusion of party MLA Sangram Thopte in the ministry.

The Congress used to call Shiv Sena's protests as 'rada culture'  (hooliganism), but what Mr Thopte's alleged supporters did was exactly the same, it said. This does not suit the "Congress culture", an editorial in Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' said.

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray expanded his month-old ministry on Monday by inducting 36 ministers. "The Cabinet expansion was, indeed, delayed but it finally happened. There were some sparks of disappointment from those who could not make the cut, but the list of probables was huge," the Shiv Sena said.