Mumbai: Amidst the continuing power struggle between the BJP and Shiv Sena, the latter expressed its discontent by abstaining from the cabinet sub-committee meeting summoned by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis Saturday.

The move also indicated that the Sena had decided to boycott the government proceedings.

The state government held a meeting of the cabinet sub-committee at the CM’s official residence Varsha to discuss the losses suffered by farmers due to unseasonal rains, and provision of compensation to them.

Along with the CM, revenue minister Chandrakant Patil and minister for the public works department Eknath Shinde are members of the sub-committee.

While ministers of the BJP and smaller allies Chandrakant Patil, Girish Mahajan, Subhash Deshmukh, Anil Bonde, Sadabhau Khot, Suresh Khade and Mahadev Jankar were present at the meeting, Mr Shinde was conspicuous by his absence.

According to Sena sources, Mr Shinde had already been to Marathwada to visit the farmers, who lost their crops due to unseasonal rains.

Instead of attending the meeting, it was better to visit the affected farmers and understand their plight, he said. “Farmers have always been a priority for the Shiv Sena. I am the guardian minister of Aurangabad, where several farmers have suffered huge losses because of the unseasonal rains. Therefore, I have come here to take stock of the situation,” said Mr Shinde.

The recently-appointed leader of Sena legislature party visited the Siddhanath Vadgaon village in Gangapur taluka of Aurangabad.