Whispers of resentment in certain sections of the tripartite Maharashtra government gained momentum on Tuesday after Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Dy CM Devendra Fadnavis left for New Delhi in the afternoon, skipping their scheduled events and meetings.

The grapevine further said all was not well on the day the Cabinet met in the absence of Dy CM Ajit Pawar. Later, Shinde clarified that Pawar skipped because of illness. Sources said the Dy CM had a throat infection, because of which he could not even participate online. Pawar met his Cabinet colleagues later in the evening. However, a group of NCP ministers did meet Fadnavis before the Cabinet meeting began. Earlier, Pawar had skipped the major events that were attended by the BJP high command in Mumbai. He did not even go to the CM's residence for the Ganesh darshan.