The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) retained the Nashik post and the Raigad position was allotted to Shiv Sena

Published on: Aug 17, 2026, 16:47:38 IST

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Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday resolved the Mahayuti dispute between two ruling allies– Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Sunetra Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)– over the guardian minister positions for Raigad and Nashik districts. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) retained the Nashik post and the Raigad position was allotted to Shiv Sena.

A minister in charge is appointed for each district to oversee development work and handle situations in case of a natural or man-made emergency.

The three ruling parties shared districts mostly based on the strength of their MLAs in respective districts. However, disputes remained over Nashik and Raigad districts. The BJP and Shiv Sena staked claim on Nashik while Shiv Sena and NCP were haggling for Raigad district.

According to an order issued by the state general administration department on Monday, BJP leader Girish Mahajan is appointed Nashik’s guardian minister, while Shiv Sena’s Bharat Gogawale is appointed guardian minister of Raigad.

The tussle among the ruling allies continued for over a year and a half after Fadnavis appointed Mahajan as Nashik’s guardian minister and NCP’s Aditi Tatkare as Raigad’s guardian minister on January 19, 2025.

Shiv Sena president and deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde objected to the appointments, following which Fadnavis stayed the decision within 24 hours.

For Nashik district, Shinde sought the post for its leader Dada Bhuse, the school education minister who hails from the Nashik region. The BJP, meanwhile, wanted Mahajan, a close confidant of Fadnavis, who previously served as district’s guardian minister to retain the position.

In Raigad, the dispute was largely driven by the rivalry between Gogawale and Sunil Tatkare, Maharashtra NCP president and MP from the Raigad Lok Sabha constituency. Aditi Tatkare, Tatkare’s daughter, is a two-term MLA from Shrivardhan, while Gogawale, a four-term MLA, represents Mahad. Both constituencies fall within Raigad district.

According to a senior NCP leader, requesting anonymity, “Shiv Sena agreed to help Tatkare’s son Aniket in the MLC election, in which he was elected from the local bodies constituency. The deal was done in exchange for the Raigad guardian minister position.”

The rivalry between the two parties escalated to the point where local leaders engaged in public spats and threatened to expose each other by releasing objectionable videos.

“Nashik’s guardian minister position was with the BJP even in previous governments. The position has become more important because of the Simhastha Kumbh Mela, and the chief minister wants someone who can effectively oversee the preparations,” a BJP leader requesting anonymity said.

This is not the first time Shiv Sena and the NCP clashed over the Raigad guardian minister’s post. During the previous Eknath Shinde-led government, the dispute escalated to the level of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Eventually, senior Shiv Sena leader Uday Samant was given charge of the district.

Why is the guardian minister’s post important?

A guardian minister is a cabinet minister assigned charge of a particular district to oversee its development and local planning. The minister acts as the government’s chief coordinator in the district and monitors the implementation of government policies and programmes.

The guardian minister also heads the District Planning Committee, which plays a key role in determining the allocation and utilisation of development funds for the district.

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