The monsoon session of the Maharashtra legislature will be starting from July 17 and is expected to end by August 4, news agency PTI reported. This decision was taken in a meeting of Assembly's Business Advisory Committee (BAC) held today, July 7.
The meeting was also attended by the newly-elected Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal, who joined the government recently on July 2, along side Devendra Fadnavis and Eknath Shinde.
As per sources, the cabinet expansion of Mahayuti government, a three party alliance, is doubtful to take place before the Monsoon Session. But there is a possibility of allocation of portfolios to the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) ministers might take place in the coming days. But a leader from the Shinde-faction of Shiv Sena said that expansion might take place within a day or two.
Late on Thursday night, July 6, Eknath Shinde held a meeting with his deputy Devendra Fadnavis. The meeting was held in regard to the Cabinet Expansion following the induction of leaders from the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party faction.
After the alliance with Ajit Pawar, there are speculations of restlessness in the Shinde camp. The meeting took place because of the restlessness in the Shinde camp; however, Shiv Sena has refuted these claims.
Referring to the late-night meeting, the Sharad Pawar-led NCP faction alleged that the meeting hour proves there is unrest in the Shinde-led Shiv Sena and state BJP over the inclusion of NCP legislators in the cabinet.
According to Mahesh Tapase, a representative of the Sharad Pawar side, Shinde's MLAs believe that if Ajit Pawar and his MLAs are given prestigious positions, their rebellion and role in the fall of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi administration will have been for nothing.
Shiv Sena leader Uday Samant said, “We are not resignation givers but takers. His [Shinde’s] leadership is to take everyone along and be patient. Yesterday, all the MLAs, MPs reposed faith in Eknath Shinde...All this [reports of discontent] is being done to malign Eknath Shinde.”
On July 4, Eknath Shinde stated that the Expansion will be taking place within a week, but now after the announcement of the Monsoon Session dates there is a probability that the Cabinet Expansion might not take place before the session starts.
Before NCP Leader Ajit Pawar along with eight other ministers joined the government, Shiv Sena had demanded a lion’s share in the cabinet expansion, Excise Minister Shambhuraj Desai had stated.
This Maharashtra Legislature’s Monsoon Session will be the first session after NCP’s split and the second one after the Shiv Sena's split. Now who will be included in the new council of ministers is yet to be known.
Share
Tweet
