MUMBAI, July 29 -- Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis is unhappy with the series of controversies involving Shiv Sena and NCP ministers and wants action to be taken against them to ensure discipline in his cabinet. However, there's a snag: his deputies and the heads of the two parties, Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, are not keen on this. Consequently, Fadnavis is likely to talk with both Pawar and Shinde on Tuesday before or after the state cabinet meeting. The Opposition, meanwhile, is mounting pressure on the Mahayuti government to drop the controversial ministers. For the past few weeks, the Mahayuti government has been in the news for all the wrong reasons, with three of its ministers involved in controversies that have embarrassed the government. First up was social justice minister Sanjay Shirsat (Shiv Sena), who drew flak for allegedly "managing" an auction of a star hotel in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar where his son was a winning bidder. He was soon in the eye of a storm again when an undated video of him sitting in his bedroom with a bag of cash lying nearby went viral. Next was the turn of agriculture minister Manikrao Kokate (NCP), who was seen in another video allegedly playing an online card game on his phone while in the legislative council. The Opposition attacked him, saying that the minister had time to play online rummy but not to tackle the distress of farmers in the state. During the same monsoon session, the Shiv Sena (UBT) declared that the family of minister of state for home Yogesh Kadam was illegally running a dance bar in Mumbai. Irked with the series of controversies that have eclipsed everything else that his government has been doing, Fadnavis reportedly asked Shinde and Pawar to take action against their errant ministers. His concern, however, is reportedly being ignored by both Shinde and Pawar, who believe that there is no need to drop any of the ministers. Aides of the two said that their logic was that any action taken would mean playing into the hands of the Opposition. Shinde, in fact, publicly gave a clean chit to Kadam on Sunday. Speaking at a function in Khed in Kadam's constituency, he said, "Don't worry Yogesh. Just keep working. The Shiv Sena and I are firmly behind you." Demanding Kadam's resignation on the basis of "unfounded allegations" was absolutely wrong, Shinde said. A senior Shiv Sena leader said that Shinde was not in favour of action against Shirsat either. "He has already censured Shirsat publicly in a Shiv Sena meeting," said the leader. "Shirsat played an important role in countering the attack of the Shiv Sena (UBT) through the media after the split in the party. That's why Shinde doesn't want to take action against him." Ajit Pawar, meanwhile, claimed that he was not a person who supported wrongdoing. "I will take action against whoever makes a mistake. I will warn him thrice but the fourth time I will take action against him," Ajit said on Sunday, which was a clear change from his previous stand taken on Thursday, when he said that he had already warned Kokate twice, and would hear his side and then take a decision after a discussion with Fadnavis. Ajit was expected to hold a meeting with Kokate on Monday but was busy elsewhere. Mahayuti insiders said that Fadnavis was expected to speak to Shinde and Pawar on the ministers' issue, following which a decision would be taken whether to take action or just warn them. Meanwhile, on Monday, a Shiv Sena (UBT) delegation met governor C P Radhakrishnan and handed over a letter demanding "immediate removal of tainted, corrupt and insensitive" ministers from the state cabinet. Sena (UBT) leaders said that they also handed over the evidence regarding Kadam's dance bar to the governor. In the letter, the party has stated eight ministers' names and demanded their removal from the cabinet. Apart from Shirsat, Kokate and Kadam, the names include the Shiv Sena's Sanjay Rathod, who was accused by BJP MLC Sandeep Joshi of corruption in the appointment and transfer of officials; Pratap Sarnaik who allegedly used the Mira-Bhayandar municipal corporation's funds to benefit his land; and Nitesh Rane for continuously making statements that spread hatred against communities....