Raigad, Apr 12 (PTI) Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MP Sunil Tatkare on Saturday hosted lunch for Union Home Minister Amit Shah at his house in Raigad, which he described as a “non-political” interaction with the issue of guardian ministers not on its agenda.

As Shah broke bread with Tatkare and others, local leaders of Shiv Sena didn’t attend the lunch, further fuelling speculation that all is not well in the BJP-led Mahayuti over the allotment of posts of guardian ministers in Raigad and Nashik.

While Tatkare asserted that there was no political agenda behind hosting Shah, state minister and Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Shirsat told reporters, “Even if Shah had lunch with Tatkare, the post of Raigad district guardian minister would go to the Shiv Sena”.

Notably, Tatkare’s daughter Aditi is one of the contenders for the post of the Raigad district guardian minister but is facing opposition from Shiv Sena MLA Bharat Gogawale.

Tatkare said he had invited Shiv Sena leaders from Raigad district but they didn’t come. He was apparently referencing Gogawale who is in the race for the district guardian minister’s post.

Tatkare had said the luncheon meeting was non-political. “The issue of guardian ministers was not on the agenda,” he told reporters.

After hosting Shah, Tatkare said the cuisine included Maharashtrian food.

“I was overwhelmed that Shah accepted the invitation. It was simple food,” he added.

Tatkare, who represents the Raigad Lok Sabha constituency, said he had invited Shiv Sena leaders from Raigad district for the lunch, but ” I don’t know why they didn’t come”.

“Amit Shah is a big leader who rose to the national level through hard work. He is well-versed in national politics. One gets to know a lot of things while interacting with him,” he added.

Shah reached Tatkare’s home at Geetabagh, Sutarwadi in Raigad along with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar after attending a programme atop the Raigad fort on the 345th death anniversary of Maratha empire founder Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

State ministers Shivendrasinh Bhosale, Ashish Shelar, and Union minister Murlidhar Mohol also attended the lunch.

The Fadnavis-led Mahayuti government had to stay the appointment of NCP MLA Aditi Tatkare and BJP leader Girish Mahajan as guardian ministers of Raigad and Nashik and districts, respectively, in January this year due to opposition from Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.

The ruling Mahayuti alliance comprises the Bharatiya Janata Party, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar’s NCP. PTI MR ARU NP NSK