After Waddettiwar gives up Sarthi, another Cong min to take it up: Thorat

Nagpur: The Congress will retain the Chhatrapati Sahu Maharaj Research, training and human development institute (Sarthi) portfolio after the party’s Vijay Waddettiwar decided to give it up. The minister is an OBC and elected from Bramhapuri.
In June, some Maratha organizations alleged that Wadettiwar was not paying attention to Sarthi, not spent the allocated funds and demanded his removal. “At a meeting of ministers, I announced that I don’t want the portfolio and anyone else can take it. At this point, Ajit Pawar (deputy CM) said he would take over Sarathi,” Waddettiwar told TOI.
The institute was set up by the Devendra Fadnavis government for the welfare of Marathas. Pawar, a Maratha, convened a meeting of Sarthi and sanctioned Rs8 crore in his capacity as the finance minister.
State Congress president and revenue minister Balasaheb Thorat on Friday told TOI that Congress will soon announce who from the party will head Sarthi.
The row over Sarthi was discussed in a meeting Thorat had with chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, public works minister Ashok Chavan and Pawar. “There is no dispute, Sarthi was with the Congress and will remain with the party. Congress. Since Wadettiwar has declined to head it, it will be entrusted to another Congress minister in consultation with the CM,’’ said Thorat.