Days after Devendra Fadnavis took oath as Maharashtra Chief Minister, all eyes are on the cabinet expansion in the state, with the Mahayuti ally Shiv Sena demanding key portfolios for Eknath Shinde’s camp.
The Mahayuti government, under Fadnavis’ leadership, passed a trust vote in the Maharashtra assembly on Monday. Now cabinet formation and portfolio allocation remain the next big step for the Mahayuti camp.
A senior BJP leader has said that the cabinet expansion of the Fadnavis government is likely to take place on December 14 (Saturday). Amid the speculations over cabinet allotment, Maharashtra CM Fadnavis is in Delhi, where he will be meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar.
Though the BJP has said that the CM’s visit to Delhi is a courtesy call as it is his first visit after becoming the chief minister, there are speculations that the portfolio allocation would be one of the agenda taken up for discussion with the BJP top brass.
#WATCH | Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadanvis arrives in Delhi pic.twitter.com/eHRIBlrx73
— ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2024
A BJP leader said the Shiv Sena would not get the home department and was also unlikely to be allocated the revenue portfolio, according to PTI. Shinde’s Sena has been demanding one of the key portfolios, including Home or Revenue.
The BJP leader further said that the talks have been getting delayed because three parties- BJP, Shiv Sena and the NCP are involved. He added that the BJP is likely to keep 21 to 22 ministerial berths.
“The cabinet expansion is likely by December 14. The allocation of the home department to Shiv Sena is ruled out. The Shiv Sena may get urban development, but is unlikely to get revenue, said the leader, who did not wish to be named. The BJP is expected to keep 21 to 22 ministerial berths, including the CM’s post,” the leader said, adding that four to five ministerial berths may be kept vacant.
From the BJP camp, party MLAs Girish Mahajan, Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Sudhir Mungantiwar, Pankaja Munde and Ashish Shelar are likely to be inducted in the state cabinet.
Others like Mangal Prabat Lodha, Shivendra Raje Bhosale, Chandrakant Patil, Ravindra Chavan may also be inducted in the cabinet.
Shiv Sena leader and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde was not travelling to the national capital, as per his office.
From the Shiv Sena, Uday Samant, Shamburaj Desai, Dada Bhuse, Gulabrao Patil, Sanjay Shirsat and Pratap Sarnaik are the top contenders for the CM’s post. Meanwhile, from the NCP camp, Chhagan Bhujabal, Dhananjay Munde, Aditi Tatkare and Narhari Zirwal may be inducted into the state cabinet.
Fadnavis took oath as CM along with Shinde and NCP leader Ajit Pawar as his deputies, after the Mahayuti alliance won 230 of the 288 seats in the state assembly polls. The Maharashtra cabinet can have a maximum of 43 ministers, including the chief minister.
