Maharashtra BJP leader Ashish Shelar criticised the Maha Vikas Aghadi government on Thursday for failing to allocate portfolios to its ministers even after a week of being sworn-in.

On November 28, Uddhav Thackeray along with six other legislators took oath at Shivaji Park, Mumbai after more than a month-long political drama in the state. However, the ministers are yet to be allotted the portfolios.

The Shiv Sena-Congress-NCP came together in the state for the first time to form an alliance.

“The MVA made promises to Independents at the time of government formation, but eight days after the swearing-in ceremony, not a single ministerial portfolio has been allocated,” Shelar said in a statement.

Shehlar also claimed that there was huge unrest among the legislators of all the three MVA alliance partners.

Sources told PTI that a meeting of prominent Congress and NCP leaders took place in New Delhi earlier this week to discuss the allocation of portfolios.

“The meeting was attended by NCP’s Sharad Pawar and Praful Patel, and Congress leaders Ahmed Patel, Balasaheb Thorat, Ashok Chavan, and Nitin Raut. A discussion with the Shiv Sena will follow before taking a final decision,” a source said.

As per the sharing of ministerial berths decided among the MVA allies, the Shiv Sena is to get 16 ministries, including the CM’s post, the NCP 15, including deputy chief minister’s post, and the Congress 12, apart from the Assembly Speaker, sources said.

Maharashtra government can have a 43-member council of ministers, which is 15 per cent of the total strength of the Assembly.

The state government can have a 43-member council of ministers, which is 15 per cent of the total strength of the 288-member Assembly.

According to sources, NCP leader Ajit Pawar, who rebelled against his party and joined hands with the BJP briefly before returning, is keen on getting the deputy chief minister’s post.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar has already committed the post to Jayant Patil, they said.

The expansion of the council of ministers is likely after the winter session of the state legislature, which will be held from December 16 to 21 in Nagpur, they said.

The six legislators who took the oath with Uddhav Thackeray were, Eknath Shinde and Subhash Desai of Shiv Sena; Jayant Patil and Chhagan Bhujbal of NCP; Balasaheb Thorat and Nitin Raut of Congress.

(With inputs from PTI)