Fadnavis asks Sena, BJP ministers to refrain from 'turf war'

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday asked his ministers to refrain from a “letter war” and approach him in case of any difficulties.

His remarks came after Social Justice Minister Sanjay Shirsat of the Shiv Sena objecting to minister of state Madhuri Misal of BJP holding a meeting with department officials without informing him. “Nobody should create this letter war. Ministers should speak among themselves. If they have some difficulties, they should come and tell me, so that we can resolve them,” Fadnavis told reporters in Nagpur.

“After all, the (cabinet) minister and minister of state are part of the same government. All the powers are with the minister. Whatever powers the minister gives to ministers of state are the latter’s powers. There is no confusion over this,” he said.

“However, it is wrong to assume that the minister of state does not have the power to hold meetings. But if there are policy decisions taken in the meetings, such decisions cannot be taken without consulting the (cabinet) minister. And if they are still taken, they have to be ratified by the minister,” Fadnavis said.

Shirsat and Misal are locked in a turf war. After a departmental meeting held by Misal, Shirsat wrote to her, saying she had no authority to either convene the meeting or give directives to the department. Misal wrote back, saying she was well within her rights. Misal also sought a clarification from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) on the powers conferred on her as a junior minister.

Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule had said the chief minister would look into the issue of power-sharing between cabinet ministers and their juniors in their respective departments.

In his letter to Misal, Shirsat said she needed his permission before holding meetings in his department. He also alleged that she was overstepping by giving directions to officers in the department. Shirsat added that all the meetings must be convened by him. An unfazed Misal responded, saying that as minister of state, she was well within her rights to convene meetings. She said she had not given any directions in the meeting, but added that she could have issued an order if a matter brought before her called for one.