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India Today
6 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
Don't need your permission: Mahayuti ministers' letter war over meetings
A growing rift within Maharashtra's ruling Mahayuti coalition has resurfaced, with Social Justice Minister Sanjay Shirsat of the Shinde-led Shiv Sena clashing with BJP Minister of State Madhuri Misal over departmental controversy erupted after Misal, responding to requests from MLAs, convened meetings and issued directives to officials—reportedly without informing or consulting Shirsat. This has fuelled speculation that the BJP is sidelining ministers from the Shinde-led Shiv a strongly worded letter, Shirsat accused Misal of holding review meetings without his approval and directed her to ensure that all future meetings are conducted under his chairmanship. 'We are aware that many meetings are being organised at my level in this regard. Therefore, for proper coordination from an administrative point of view, apart from the subjects which have been allocated to you, my prior permission is required to hold a meeting on other subjects,' he said in a letter to the BJP minister issued a sharp rebuttal, asserting her authority as Minister of State to convene review meetings without prior approval. She clarified that no official decisions were taken during these meetings, only suggestions were made, which she maintained were well within the scope of her responsibilities.'As the Minister of State for the Social Justice Department, I have the authority to hold review meetings of the department. I do not feel the need to take your prior permission to hold these meetings,' she said in a Shirsat to substantiate his claims of overreach, Misal denied encroaching on his authority. She cited the Chief Minister's directive to review 150 days of government work, asserting that her actions were well within her also noted that the division of duties between the Minister and the MoS, formalised on March 19, 2025, lacked the Chief Minister's approval, as mandated by the Maharashtra Government Rules of 1975. Despite this and the absence of formal departmental records, she said she had been discharging her duties without any row comes on the heels of Shirsat's earlier protest over funds being redirected from his department to populist schemes like 'Laadki Behen', highlighting simmering tensions within the has now approached the Chief Minister's Office seeking clarity on whether prior approval is required for such review meetings. Her pointed remarks have further deepened the rift between BJP and Shinde-led Shiv Sena leaders, raising concerns about coordination and authority within the Social Justice Department.- EndsTune InMust Watch IN THIS STORY#Maharashtra#Shiv Sena#Bharatiya Janta Party
Time of India
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Dy CM expresses disappontment over nearly 8,000 workers still being involved in manual scavenging
Pune: Expressing disappointment over nearly 8,000 workers still being involved in manual scavenging, deputy chief minister on Friday said it was against 's stature as a progressive state. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Raising the issue of manual scavenging, BJP MLA Atul Bhatkhalkar expressed concern for workers involved in it. "This is really a socially sensitive issue. Such an inhuman practice is still going on in the state. According to an audit of the central govt, a total of 18 workers died while cleaning septic tanks manually in the state from 2021 to 2024. We call Maharashtra a progressive state, but it is a blot on our state that the practice of manual scavenging is still going on here," Bhatkhalkar said in the assembly. Earlier this month, two workers on contract died because of suffocation after they entered a sewage chamber to clean it manually in Sangamner town in Ahilyanagar district. In 2022, four workers lost their lives similarly in Pune's Wagholi area. The BJP MLA also raised the issue of lack of safety gear of these workers and demanded that the state govt should give a plan of action to stop manual scavenging. Replying to Bhatkhalkar's queries, cabinet minister for social justice Sanjay Shirsat admitted that the state had fallen short of achieving the goal of ending manual scavenging. "It is indeed a serious issue. As per the Supreme Court's directive, the state calls for a report from every local body on scavenging, and many reports mention that manual scavenging is not practised in their jurisdiction. A recent survey revealed that over 7,500 workers are still involved in manual scavenging," Shirsat said. Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, present for the discussion, expressed disappointment over the issue. He said, "On one hand, we are speaking about India aiming to become the third-largest economy in the world, but on the other, nearly 8,000 workers in our state are still carrying out manual scavenging. It is against Maharashtra's progressive stature. On behalf of the state govt, I assure you that we will plan a time-bound programme to end manual scavenging. " Shirsat told the assembly that the state had made a provision of Rs405 crore to purchase robotic machinery to replace manual scavenging work.
NDTV
14-07-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Sena Minister In 'Bag Full Of Cash' Row Faces Rs 2,000 Crore Corruption Claim
Mumbai: Maharashtra Social Justice Minister Sanjay Shirsat finds himself at the centre of mutliple controversies, the latest being allegations of corruption by social activist Anjali Damania. She claimed a Rs 2,000 crore March tender - for sanitation and maintenance of government-run hostels and residential schools - was rigged to favour a few politically-connected companies. This is the latest in a series of setbacks for Shirsat, including Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis forming a committee to investigate alleged irregularities in the sale of a hotel in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. The deal involved a company owned by Shirsat's son, Siddhant. The headline-grabbing setback, however, was when a video emerged of Shirsat sitting in his innerwear and smoking on a hotel room bed with a bag that seemed to be full of cash. Shirsat - a four-time MLA from Aurangabad (West) who belongs to the Shiv Sena faction led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde - promptly received an income tax notice. So what is the latest controversy surrounding Shirsat? The March tender flagged by Ms Damania covered 433 government-run hostels, 353 residential primary schools, as well as 35 district-level 'Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Social Justice Bhavans'. Sanjay Shirsat seen in a hotel room with a bag of what seems to be cash. According to Damania, the tender clubbed three unrelated services - sanitation, manpower, and infrastructure maintenance - into a single bid "to clearly benefit certain contractors". "These categories have no functional connection, yet they were brought under one umbrella..." she alleged, pointing also to various discrepancies in the tender documents. These included salaries for over 2,000 'site attendants' not being clearly defined There were also questions over the recruitment of security personnel, a process usually handled by the Maharashtra State Security Corporation but bypassed by renaming them 'site attendants'. In addition, the tender conditions were so restrictive that only three companies - Crystal (owned by the BJP's Prasad Lad, a member of the state Legislative Council), Smart Services (linked to the National Congress Party's Hasan Mushrif, and BVG India, qualified. "These companies have already secured multiple government contracts... ranging from women and child welfare schemes to ambulance services. Now, even milk and catering contracts are being handed to them. It is a closed loop of political-business collusion," Ms Damania claimed. She also pointed out these companies would earn a staggering 19.5 per cent interest on the contract value in case of delayed payments from the state government's side. Meanwhile, Shirasat has avoided all questions from the media.
Indian Express
12-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Amid ‘cash bag' row, the Shirsat problem: How Sena Minister has again stirred trouble for Shinde
In October 2023, Sanjay Shirsat, then a Shiv Sena MLA who is now Maharashtra's Minister for Social Justice, invited journalists to see his latest acquisition – a plush penthouse in a 72-storey luxury tower in South Mumbai. For Shirsat, a Dalit leader and former rickshaw driver from Aurangabad, the optics of gleaming real estate was meant to symbolise his rise from a working-class background to the state's power corridors. But it also marked the beginning of a narrative that has now spiralled into controversy. Shirsat, known for his unfiltered comments and among the more visible faces in Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Sena, has since become one of its most controversial figures. Over the past year, his political career has been clouded by the Income Tax Department's notices, allegations of illegal land allotment, and now, a viral video showing him in his home with a bag allegedly full of cash. Born in Mumbai's Chembur suburb to BEST bus driver Pandurang Shirsat, Sanjay grew up in a cramped home in Lal Dongar with six siblings. The family later moved to Aurangabad, their native district that was later renamed Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. Shirsat started his working life in a factory, but following his father's concern about his increasing union activity, he was handed a rickshaw to operate. Over time his activism shifted from labour issues to the local Shiv Sena unit. His rise through the then undivided party ranks was swift – elected twice as a corporator from Bansilal Nagar in 2000, he became Leader of the House in the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation in 2001. In 2009, he entered the big leagues, contesting and winning the Scheduled Caste-reserved Aurangabad West Assembly seat as one of the few Dalit leaders in his party. Shirsat shot into statewide prominence in 2022, during Eknath Shinde's rebellion against Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray's leadership. He was one of the first MLAs to openly criticise Uddhav, penning a public letter that accused him of being 'inaccessible' and isolating grassroots leaders. The letter described instances of the Sena MLAs waiting outside the then CM's residence, Varsha, for hours with no audience. Despite being a vocal Shinde supporter, Shirsat was initially overlooked in the first Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis government. The exclusion made him more vocal especially in Aurangabad, where his frequent press briefings often included sharp personal attacks against the Opposition leaders. Eventually, he was placated with the chairmanship of the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO), and following the Mahayuti's return to power in the November 2024 Assembly polls, he was appointed the Minister for Social Justice and Guardian Minister for the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district. Since taking charge as a minister, Shirsat has been at the centre of several controversies. His aggressive style and frequent outbursts have alienated not only Opposition MVA leaders, but also members within the ruling Mahayuti alliance. In fact, many of the damaging allegations against him appear to have originated from disgruntled Mahayuti insiders. One of his major critics has been AIMIM leader and ex-MP Imtiyaz Jaleel, who has relentlessly targeted Shirsat on various fronts. The first major allegation came earlier this year, when Jaleel claimed a 21,275-sq-m industrial plot in the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation's (MIDC) Shendra area – originally reserved for a truck terminus – was improperly denotified and allotted to Shirsat's son, Siddhant. Jaleel alleged political favouritism and called for a central agency's probe into it. In May this year, Shirsat's son was again in the news after his company emerged as the highest bidder for the government-seized VITS Hotel in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. Jaleel alleged the auction process, which set a base price of Rs 64.53 crore, was manipulated to benefit the minister's family. Following public pressure, the bid was withdrawn. In May, Shirsat stoked further tension within the ruling coalition by publicly questioning the funding of the state's flagship Ladki Bahin scheme, which provides Rs 1,500 monthly to low-income women. He alleged crucial funds from his Social Justice department were being redirected to the scheme, hampering his ability to carry out his departmental programmes. His remarks, seen as a veiled swipe at Deputy CM and NCP chief Ajit Pawar's Finance ministry, created ripples within the Mahayuti. Earlier this month, Shirsat confirmed that he had received a notice from the I-T Department over the growth in his assets between 2019 and 2024. He said he had sought an extension to file a response. He also claimed Shinde's son and Lok Sabha MP, Shrikant Shinde, had also received a similar notice, before retracting his remark. And then came the latest flashpoint. On Friday, the Sena (UBT) shared a video showing Shirsat lying in a bedroom, with what was alleged to be a bag stuffed with cash beside him. While Shirsat admitted the video was filmed in his own home, he dismissed the allegations, saying the bag contained his clothes from a recent tour. Within the Mahayuti alliance, there is growing unease over the frequent controversies involving Shirsat and other Shinde Sena MLAs. While Shirsat has remained a loyalist of the Deputy CM, there is a view in the ruling camp that his conduct, remarks and cases have made him a 'liability' for the Sena chief. With the Opposition seeking to consolidate their base ahead of upcoming local body elections, the Sena (UBT) has sharpened its attack on Shirsat. Also, amid the Uddhav Thackeray-Raj Thackeray consolidation, Shinde's inability or unwillingness to rein in his ministers risks weakening his credibility both with the Mahayuti partners as well as the voters.
Hindustan Times
12-07-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Now, Sena minister Shirsat in video with ‘wads of cash'
MUMBAI: A day after he admitted to receiving a notice from the Income Tax department regarding a surge in his assets, social justice minister Sanjay Shirsat was seen in a video seated on a bed with what appears to be bundles of currency notes in a bag beside him. The video of Sanjay Shirsat was shared online by Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Friday. The video was shared online by Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Friday. Shirsat, Shiv Sena MLA from Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar and a close aide of deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde, has rubbished the claim, saying the bag contained only clothes and sundry items. The video, which quickly went viral online, has evoked a flurry of reactions from the opposition. In his social media post while sharing the video, Raut said, 'Prime minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah need to see this exciting video. What's going on in the country? This video of a minister from Maharashtra explains a lot.' Raut added that he 'felt sorry' for chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. 'The second name of helplessness is Fadnavis. How many incidents of embarrassment Fadnavis is going to tolerate silently?' he remarked. Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray took a sharp jab at Shirsat, with a quick-witted comment. He said the purported cash in the bag was part of '50 khoke', referring to his party's allegation that each of the Shiv Sena MLAs who had defected with Eknath Shinde had been given ₹50 crore to switch loyalties. Thackeray added, 'He (Shirsat) just received an IT notice. With this video, at least now CM Fadnavis will take action in the matter.' Sena (UBT) group leader in the legislative assembly Bhaskar Jadhav went a step further, alleging that the video of Shirsat could expose a conflict within the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance, of which the Sena is a constituent. 'We can see money in the bag. First an inquiry into a hotel deal involving his son, then an IT notice, and now this video with a bag of money. It seems someone in the ruling alliance does not want to see Shirsat as a cabinet minister and so this video was leaked,' alleged Jadhav. Shirsat defended himself, saying, 'It looks like I came back from travel and my travel bag was lying around with clothes and some other stuff. Even my pet dog is sitting nearby. It doesn't mean I am doing anything wrong.' How did a candid video of the minister end up being recorded in his home, in the first place? Shirsat said he could not tell when it was shot. Since he is a leader of the common man, a range of people have access to his home and some 'enthusiastic' party workers may have recorded the video, he claimed. This is the third time this week that Shirsat has been embroiled in controversy. On Monday, he was caught on the wrong foot over allegations that the auction of a hotel in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar had been manipulated to favour his son Siddhant. After the opposition levelled the allegation in the legislative assembly, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis announced an investigation into the matter. The demand was made by the Sena (UBT). The video with the purported wads of cash is ill-timed for Shirsat, who on Thursday said he had received a notice from the Income Tax department, which has sought a clarification on a significant increase in his assets from 2019 to 2024.
