Maharashtra cabinet expansion today: Home dept likely for Fadnavis; ‘Rebels’ to get berths

India

oi-Deepika S

Mumbai, Aug 09: The much-awaited expansion of the Maharashtra cabinet will take place today, nearly 40 days after the Shiv Sena MLA Eknath Shinde was sworn in as chief minister.

A dozen ministers will take oath at Tuesday’s ceremony, scheduled at Raj Bhavan at 12 pm.

Shinde, who emerged as a surprise choice for the top post after managing to take most of Shiv Sena MLAs with him, will have a difficult task accommodating all of them in the ministry.

Rebels who supported Shinde in his revolt are likely to be rewarded. Names of former ministers Uday Samant, Sandipan Bhumre, Dada Bhuse, Gulabrao Patil, and Shambhuraj Desai are said to be doing rounds, news agency PTI reported.

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Chandrakant Patil, Sudhir Mungantiwar, Girish Mahajan, Pravin Darekar and Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil are among the BJP leaders expected to take oath.

There are over 40 berths in the state cabinet. However, not all the berths are expected to be filled in the first go.

The BJP has 107 members in the state assembly while the Shinde camp has a strength of 50 members. Hence, the majority of portfolios are likely to go to the BJP.

Devendra Fadnavis – who has served as the state’s chief minister before – is expected to keep the home ministry.

Shinde has made seven visits to New Delhi in the last one month, and with every visit there was talk that the ministry expansion was round the corner.

Ajit Pawar, Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Assembly, said Shinde had promised a ministerial berth to every MLA who joined him.

“Now Shinde is not able to fulfil his promise, hence the delay in cabinet expansion. The chief minister should also reveal what led to the delay,” Pawar said.

It is clear that not all of the 40 rebel Sena MLAs who are in the Shinde group will get the ministerial berth, he added.

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