Mumbai: Shiv SenaRajyaSabha MP Sanjay Raut took a jibe at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday shortly after it inducted new ministers to the Union cabinet. Raut said the BJP should thank Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) for providing the Union cabinet with ‘human resources.Raut was apparently referring to the appointments of KapilPatil and BhartiPawar who joined the BJP from the NCP and the appointment of Narayan Rane. Patil and Pawar assumed the roles of Union minister of state for Panchayati Raj and Union minister of state for health, respectively. Narayan Rane, Union minister of medium and small enterprises, was earlier a part of the Shiv Sena and the Congress.

“Prime Minister Modi must have seen some spark in them to give them important portfolios. The BJP should thank the Shiv Sena and the NCP for providing its good human resource for induction into the Union ministry,” the Shiv Sena leader was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.Out of the four Union ministers from Maharashtra sworn in on Wednesday, three do not have their political roots in the BJP.

Raut also said that Rane deserved a better portfolio as he was a former chief minister and held important portfolios in the past. He said that after becoming the MSME minister he has the challenge to revive an industry that faced the wrath of the Covid-19 pandemic. Responding to questions on whether Rane’s appointment was a means to target Shiv Sena in Maharashtra’s Konkan region, Raut said that such a comment is tantamount to insulting the Union cabinet as well the Constitution. “Are ministers inducted to serve the country or to target political rivals?” Raut asked. Raut also expressed confidence that the ministers from Maharashtra have been allocated good portfolios and will serve people in sectors such as MSME, finance and health. Raut also lamented the exit of PrakashJavadekar.