Shiv Sena not unhappy with portfolio allocation: Sanjay Raut

Mumbai: Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut Friday dismissed reports that his party was unhappy over the allotment of a ministry to its minister Arvind Sawant, who was given the portfolio of heavy industries in the Narendra Modi government. The Sena had been allotted the heavy industries portfolio since the first Bharatiya Janata Party-led Nationalist Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the Centre.

In political circles, heavy industries is considered a low-profile portfolio as compared to home, finance or the railways. Meanwhile Sena spokesperson and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut clarified that in allotting the heavy industries portfolio, the Sena had not been given any substandard treatment.

Mr Raut said that the party was content with whatever had been offered by the BJP-led government.

Portfolios were distributed Friday and while the Sena expected to get portfolios such as the railways, energy and civil aviation, none of these were allotted to it, leading to unhappiness within the party. The Janata Dal (United) or JDU, the BJP’s alliance partner from Bihar, also decided not to join the Union government at the Centre. It is being said that the JDU, too, was not happy with portfolios the BJP planned to allocated to it.

In the first NDA government led by Mr Modi, Anant Geete was allocated the heavy industries portfolio. Mr Geete was the lone Sena minister in Modi Sarkar 1.0. He lost from the Raigad Lok Sabha constituency in the recently concluded LS elections.

In the NDA government led by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Manohar Joshi was given the portfolio of heavy industries and public enterprises from October 13, 1999 to May 9, 2002.