Patil on Thursday criticized Ajit and his Finance Department after the Mumbai bomb blasts on July 13 for not clearing proposals for his Home Department.

In a Cabinet meeting, Patil was targeted by ministers from both the Congress as well as the NCP. The attack on Patil was spearheaded by Ajit, who raised questions on the preparedness of the state police force, particularly the intelligence gathering network, including in previous terrorist attacks.

Patil countered by blaming the Finance Department headed by Ajit and said proposals moved by his department were not being cleared promptly.

Patil admitted that the police had no intelligence about the blasts. Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan who chaired the meeting had to intervene in the matter and there was a consensus among ministers to streamline procedures and relax norms to overcome red tape for the Home Department.

Jayant Patil, the guardian minister of Mumbai and Patil’s beta-noire from his home district Sangli questioned Patil’s efficiency as a minister by highlighting the delay in the police modernization program.