The already-strained ties between the Bharatiya Janata Party and Shiv Sena further dipped on the eve of the union cabinet reshuffle with the Sena representative unlikely to make an entry at the Centre.
Shiv Sena, the oldest ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party, is unhappy over being given only one ministerial berth and that too heavy industries portfolio in the Narendra Modi government and has complained to the Bharatiya Janata Party leadership.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday hosted a pre-Diwali dinner for the Council of Ministers where he stressed on keeping up the momentum of the cleanliness mission launched by him earlier this month.
Differences between the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party over portfolio allocation blew over on Wednesday with Anant Geete deciding to take charge as heavy industries minister after party chief Uddhav Thackeray held "satisfactory" talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the matter.
Amid the continuing uncertainty over Shiv Sena's participation in the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government in Maharashtra, the party today said two of its MPs would be inducted into the Union Council of Ministers when Prime Minister Narendra Modi expands it on Sunday.
The suspense over the possible composition of the National Democratic Alliance cabinet is nearly over.
With the BJP-Shiv Sena relationship at an impasse ahead of the November 12 trust vote in Maharashtra, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday said that the Shiv Sena problem will solve itself.
In an indication of a possible post-poll understanding with Shiv Sena, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has said that BJP could consider joining hands again with its estranged ally if the situation so demanded.
Much before Rashtrapati Bhavan confirmed the new ministers' portfolios, we had said who will get what in Narendra Modi's Union council of ministers!
Bharatiya Janata Party's National Democratic Alliance partners have got five cabinet ministerial berths in the third term of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as against none in the outgoing government, given the party's dependence on allies for a majority in the Lok Sabha.
Taking a dig at former ally Bharatiya Janata Party for announcing that Narendra Modi would hold poll rallies in Maharashtra, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday said the prime minister would not have been invited to address the public if his party was confident of winning on the "Modi wave."
As many as 20 new faces are expected to be inducted into the Union Council of Ministers on Sunday in the first revamp exercise which is likely to bring in BJP leaders Manohar Parrikar, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Rajiv Pratap Rudy and Bandaru Datttatreya while elevating a few.
The simmering tension between Shiv Sena and Bharatiya Janata Party came to a boil on Sunday as Sena MP Anil Desai failed to take oath as union minister amid talk that Uddhav Thackeray will pull the party out of the government at the Centre and play opposition in Maharashtra.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch his dream 'Swachh Bharat' campaign on Thursday.
With hours to go for the results to be out in one of the most keenly-watched assembly elections in Maharashtra, major parties are keeping their cards close to the chest as most exit polls projected a hung House.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assets worth Rs 1.26 crore while Defence and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley stands out as the richest minister with assets totalling Rs 72.10 crore.
As many as 48 ministers of National Democratic Allaince government were in the fray in the general elections.
Chaos ensued in the Lower House as Ashok Gajapathi Raju refused to heed the demand of revoking the flying ban on Ravindra Gaikwad.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's spin doctors are on an overdrive these days to project him as a "tough talking" leader following a spate of critical media reports about his sudden silence on key issues, says rediff.com contributor Anita Katyal.
Full list of the rejigged Union Council of Ministers
Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai and M&M draw visitors with a range of concept cars.
'Do we not all exhibit a sense of entitlement every day,' asks Savera R Someshwar.
A series of bypoll losses has pushed the Modi government into panic mode. Uncharacteristically, it's letting events dictate its actions, says Shekhar Gupta.
'While Piyush Goel, Dharmendra Pradhan, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore and a clutch of former bureaucrats including R K Singh, Hardeep Singh Puri and K J Alphons are loyal BJP members, none of them fit the mould of party apparatchiks.' 'In fact, many of the latter kind have been shown the door or have been given reduced charges.' 'That goes to show the prime minister's comfort level in dealing with professionals and administrators and the trust he reposes in them,' says Shreekant Sambrani.
In the third reshuffle since coming to power, Prime Minister Modi raised the strength of his Council of Ministers from 73 to 76.
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