Mumbai:
As the new Maharashtra Chief Minister-designate and his deputy Ajit Pawar, get ready to be sworn in today, a big race for portfolios in the Maharashtra government has begun.
The NCP's Chaggan Bhujbal who was replaced by Sharad Pawar's nephew Ajit Pawar as Deputy Chief Minister, is now demanding an extra portfolio, either public welfare or tribal affairs.
RR Patil could lose the home portfolio which may go to Ajit Pawar, or one of his close associates. Patil, who is known to be close to NCP supremo Sharad Pawar, is apparently lobbying hard to keep the home portfolio.
Among the Congress ministers, Narayan Rane could lose the revenue portfolio because his name has come up in connection with several land cases.
The process of forming a new government in Maharashtra began on Wednesday morning with Prithviraj Chavan's name being formally announced by senior Congress leader Pranab Mukherjee, after a meeting with the Congress President Sonia Gandhi at her 10 Janpath residence.