22 ministers from previous cabinet removed

Mumbai, Nov 7 : As many as 22 ministers in the outgoing Ashok Chavan ministry did not get a place in the new cabinet.

Among them were 13 Cabinet and nine Ministers of state.

Six Cabinet and six Ministers of state had not been inducted as they were defeated in the assembly elections. They were Vijaysinh Mohite Patil and Ramesh Bang of NCP, Surupsingh Naik, Anees Ahmed, Ravisheth Patil, Madan Patil (all Congress).

The six Ministers of State were former minister of state for finance Dr Sunil Deshmukh, who contested the elections as an Independent against Congress nominee Rajendra Shekhawat, son of President Pratibha Patil.

Besides him, there were Satish Patil, Shobha Bachchav, Siddhram Mhetre (from Congress), while Suresh Warpudkar and Rana Jagjitsingh Patil of NCP, who were defeated.

Two ministers -- Ramraje Naik-Nimbalkar and Nana Panchbuddhe -- did not contest the elections, while Pritamkumar Shegaonkar and Vinay Kore parted ways with the Congress-NCP and formed another front.

Dilip Deshmukh, younger brother of Union Heavy Industries minister and former chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, was denied the berth as the Congress has decided not to make the minister to MLC.

Dilip Valse-Patil was dropped from the Cabinet as he is expected to become the Speaker of the assembly. Another reason, cited by the political observers, for his non-inclusion were his differences with Ajit Pawar, nephew of NCP chief Sharad Pawar, on handling of power portfolio.

While Chandrakant Handore (Congress), Vimal Mundada, Rajendra Shingane, Nawab Malik, Jayprakash Dandegaonkar (all NCP) were denied the berths.

Ms Mundada was dropped from the cabinet on health grounds and differences within the family, while Dr Shingane was dropped due to his inept handling of swine flu.

--UNI

(c) 2009 Published with permission from United News of India.
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