The Maharashtra government on Monday accorded the status of Minister of State to Aadesh Bandekar, chairperson of Shree Siddhivinayak Ganpati Temple Trust, NDTV reported. Bandekar is a Shiv Sena leader and a popular Marathi TV show host.

“I will not take any allowance, I just want to serve the people,” Bandekar told ANI. “The status of Ministeer of State has not been given to a man, it has been given to the position [Chairman of Shree Siddhivinayak Ganapati Temple] in which I am right now,” Bandekar told ANI.

The move is considered to be the Bharatiya Janata Party’s bid to woo its disgruntled ally in the state government, Shiv Sena.

In May, ahead of bye-poll in Palghar Lok Sabha seat, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had criticised Bandekar for releasing an audio clip in which Fadnavis could purportedly be heard urging BJP workers to use any means to win the election, reported The Indian Express.

In April, the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh was criticised for giving minister of state status to five religious leaders.

In January, the Shiv Sena had announced its decision to contest the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly elections and Lok Sabha polls alone.