Earlier, Pankaja Munde had courted controversy in April by posting a selfie online. (PTI file photo)
Highlights
- Pankaja Munde has lost out on her important Water Conservation Ministry
- She said she will not attend a global water leader summit
- Devendra Fadnavis responded by saying that she must attend the event
A day after divesting her of the important water conservation portfolio in the Cabinet reshuffle, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was seen as placating a seemingly upset Pankaja Munde, asking her to attend an international water summit.
Ms Munde, who is also Maharashtra's minister for Rural Development and Women and Child Development, lost the Water Conservation portfolio during the late night cabinet reshuffle on Saturday.
Apparently unhappy, Ms Munde, who was scheduled to attend the summit - to be held in Singapore on Monday -- tweeted saying she would not attend since she was no longer the minister concerned.
Chief Minister Fadnavis, who is out of the country on an official tour, responded immediately on Twitter, saying:
In April, Ms Munde had been caught in a controversy for posting selfies on social media from the drought hit Latur district, inviting a lot of criticism not only from the opposition, but also from ally Shiv Sena.
She had later said she had posted the selfies in appreciation of the drought relief work done by Latur's local administration.