The much-delayed Maharashtra expansion and reshuffle will likely take place in July. This came at time when Ajit Pawar who was with NCP for many decades has defected the party to join Eknath Shinde and Devendra Fadnavis and has taken an oath as Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister. He took an oath at Raj Bhavan.
Confirming this, the state Deputy Chief Minister informed that Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will decide on the expansion. It is pertinent to note that this development came exactly a year after Shinde faction joined hands with BJP.
Last week, Shinde along with Fadnavis went to New Delhi to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national president J.P. Nadda. Fadnavis also clarified that the stake holders in the state do not know anything about Cabinet expansion at the Centre as the interest of party and its leaders lies only in the state Cabinet.
On the recall, the BJP had announced that it would support Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde as the new Chief Minister with BJP leader Fadnavis, former Chief Minister of Maharashtra, as his deputy June 30, 2022.
It has been revealed that the cabinet will be expanded till July 10. The state cabinet can have a maximum of 43 members. Out of this, there are only 20 ministers including CM and Deputy CM.
Of the 20 ministers who were inducted into the state Cabinet, 10 are from the Shinde-led Shiv Sena and 10 from the BJP. Eighteen cabinet portfolios were distributed between the Shiv Sena and BJP.
It will be interesting to see the allocation of remaining 23 seats, which will be decided and announced this month.
Eknath Shinde is expecting to get three ministerial berths from the Shiv Sena in the Union Cabinet expansion. As per an arrangement made during the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance, Sena had a quota of one cabinet minister and a Minister of State in the Union Cabinet.
As per sources, Shinde has submitted a proposal to accommodate three ministers from the party.
Share
Tweet
