Mumbai. Three weeks after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik, his Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Friday said he has been temporarily relieved of his portfolios and other official charges. Besides being the guardian minister of Gondia and Parbhani districts, 62-year-old Malik, who holds the minority affairs and skill development portfolio, was arrested on February 23. He is in judicial custody till March 21.
In a meeting chaired by NCP president Sharad Pawar, it was decided to relieve Malik of his portfolios and other official charges, to ensure that work is not affected and files do not pile up in his absence.
State NCP president and Water Resources Minister Jayant Patil told the media that while Malik will continue as a cabinet minister and the party’s Mumbai president, duties related to his post will be handled by other colleagues.
His cabinet portfolios will be divided between two other NCP ministers, while Social Justice Minister Dhananjay Munde and Minister of State for Urban Development Prajakat Tanpure will be the guardian ministers of Parbhani and Gondia respectively and the Mumbai NCP will be overseen by two working presidents.
Patil said Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray will be asked to change the minister and he will take the final decision.
This development came to the fore because the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party was demanding Malik’s resignation or sacking from the cabinet after his arrest, but the Maha Vikas Aghadi turned down the demand.
Top NCP leaders including Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, ministers Patil, senior leaders like Dilip Walse-Patil, Chhagan Bhujbal, Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare and others attended the meeting held at Sharad Pawar’s residence.
—AnyTV News
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