Geete takes charge as portfolio row ends

Shiv Sena’s lone minister in the new Cabinet, Anant Geete, took charge of the Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Ministry on Wednesday, capping the row over portfolio allotment with the BJP.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on the phone and resolved the issue, said Sena leader Sanjay Raut. A day ago, Geete had refused to take charge of his ministry demanding a change in portfolio. Modi is said to have assured Thackeray that the Sena could get more Minister of State posts in a Cabinet expansion expected in a few weeks.

“This is not as big an issue as the media makes it out to be; differences can crop up in a family. We are in an alliance not for power, but for Hindutva, like Balasaheb (Thackeray),” Raut said.Geete had earlier said that his party chief would take a call on whether he should take charge of the ministry, adding that his party wanted a change in portfolio.

On May 26, the Sena chief had attended Narendra Modi’s swearing-in ceremony despite voicing his misgivings about the invitation to Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.