PM [1]
Rank : Helper
Status : Super Owner
#1
The Cabinet expansion of the new BJP-led Maharashtra government is set to take place in Nagpur today, with several new faces expected to be inducted into the council of ministers. At least six new leaders from the Shiv Sena are likely to take oath as ministers, sources said.
These leaders include Pratap Sarnaik, Prakash Abitkar, Sharat Gogavale, Yogesh Kadam, Ashish Jaiswal, and Sanjay Shirsat.
According to sources, Maharashtra may have 40 ministers in its new Cabinet, with 50 per cent of new and young faces likely to be inducted. The council of ministers in the state can have a maximum of 43 members, including the Chief Minister.
The BJP is likely to get 20 seats, the Shiv Sena 12, and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) 10, sources said. This formula was reportedly formalised three days ago after considering each ally's performance in the recently held Assembly polls in which Mahayuti scored a mammoth victory.
In the November 20 assembly elections, the Mahayuti won 230 out of 288 seats in the state. While the BJP secured 132 seats, the Sena bagged 57 and NCP got 41 seats.
The government formation in Maharashtra has already seen its fair share of twists and turns.
Devendra Fadnavis took oath as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra with former Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and NCP leader Ajit Pawar as his deputies on December 5, after nearly two weeks of hectic parleys over the main seat. Once that was over, the Mahayuti faced the next big challenge - the 'who-gets-what-ministry'.
Sources said that Mr Shinde's Sena faction is believed to want the high-profile Home portfolio - previously held by Devendra Fadnavis. However, the BJP is unlikely to want to give it up. The Sena may be offered Urban Development, Public Works Department, and Revenue, sources said. On the other hand, Ajit Pawar's NCP has asked for an equal share of seats, they added.
Aaditya Thackeray's appeal to Devendra Fadnavis
Ahead of the induction of ministers, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Aaditya Thackeray appealed to Chief Minister Devendra Fandnavis to keep Mr Shinde and his two "guardian ministers" Deepak Kesarkar Mangal Prabhat Lodha out of the Cabinet.
"If the BJP government really wants to take action on the road scam, they will have to keep the then unconstitutional Chief Minister Shinde and the two guardian ministers during his tenure - Lodha and Kesarkar - out of the cabinet," he wrote on X.
"I have been exposing this road scam for the last two years, but the BJP supported the Shinde government. To bring transparency in all affairs, I request Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis ji to initiate an official inquiry into the road scam," he said.