MUMBAI: Rural development minister Pankaja Munde experien ced a setback after chief minister Devendra Fadnavis allotted the prestigious OBC department to water conservation minister Ram Shinde .

It was assumed that Fadnavis would entrust the department to Pankaja, as her father Gopinath Munde was seen as a messiah of the OBC community . This is not the first time that Fadnavis has shortchanged Pankaja, a CM aspirant.

When Pankaja was on a foreign tour, she was relieved of the water conservation portfolio, which was entrusted to Ram Shinde. Pankaja was up in arms over the decision. She skipped office for a long time and responded only after Ram Shinde called on her, saying that if she was against the allocation of the department to him, then he would not take charge. Later following the intervention of senior ministers and Fadna vis, Pankaja relented. On the row over procurement of goods and material, particularly chikki, the ACB is yet to officially close the file. The ACB told Congress leader Sachin Sawant that there was no substance in the allegations; however, when he sought data under the Right to Information Act, he was told that the ACB was awaiting the home department's instructions.

