NCP leader Ajit Pawar, along with the supporting MLAs, has been sworn in as a minister in the Shinde-Fadnavis government. He has assumed the role of Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister of the state, while eight other ministers have been assigned significant portfolios. The allocation of the finance portfolio to Ajit Pawar has caused a major rift within the ruling Shinde faction. During the ongoing monsoon session, there are discussions and speculations about the specific amounts of money allocated by Finance Minister Ajit Pawar to each MLA of various parties. Notably, NCP MLA Jayant Patil has received the highest funds, which has sparked debates in political circles.
Since the downfall of the MVA government, Ajit Pawar assumed the position of Leader of Opposition, leading to underlying tensions with NCP state president Jayant Patil. Their differences became more evident after the NCP split. However, with Ajit Pawar now holding the Finance Minister role, he has allocated a substantial fund of Rs 580 crore for development projects in Jayant Patil's constituency of Islampur. Moreover, significant amounts have also been sanctioned in the constituencies of MLA Saroj Ahire, as well as Ministers Chhagan Bhujbal, Dhananjay Munde, Anil Patil, Makarand Patil, and Dharmarao Atram. These moves have sparked discussions and attention in the political landscape.
Congress leader Yashomati Thakur has raised allegations against Finance Minister Ajit Pawar, claiming that he has been unfair in distributing funds to opposition MLAs. Ambadas Danve, the Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council, has also urged the government to provide clarity on the fund allocation. On Monday, the MLAs from the Congress and Thackeray faction expressed their strong dissatisfaction over the matter, escalating tensions. This political turmoil surrounding fund allocation is expected to create significant challenges for the ruling Shinde faction.