Ahead of Winter Session, Maharashtra prepares for cabinet expansion

Sources indicate that the BJP is expected to secure around 20 cabinet positions, while the Shiv Sena could get 11 to 12 and the NCP nine to 10

The cabinet expansion of the Devendra Fadnavis-led Maharashtra government is likely to take place on December 15, with new Ministers from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Shiv Sena, and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) set to take the oath of office at a ceremony in Nagpur, official sources said.

This expansion comes as the ruling coalition looks to finalise its power-sharing formula ahead of the Winter Session of the State legislature, which begins on December 16 in Nagpur, Maharashtra’s second capital.

Also Read: On Maharashtra politics, government formation 

According to sources, over 30 MLAs are expected to be sworn as Ministers during the ceremony. The Maharashtra Council of Ministers can accommodate up to 43 members, including Chief Minister Fadnavis, and his two deputies, Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, who assumed office on December 5. Mr. Shinde, initially reluctant to take up the Deputy Chief Minister’s post to focus on party affairs, agreed to join the cabinet after extensive discussions among allies and his legislators.

In the lead up to the expansion, top leaders of the coalition held multiple rounds of deliberations to finalise Ministerial allocations. State BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule met both Mr. Shinde and Mr. Pawar on Friday (December 13, 2024) to iron out details, while Mr. Pawar held separate consultations with NCP leaders at his residence in Mumbai.

Sources indicate that the BJP is expected to secure around 20 cabinet positions, while the Shiv Sena could get 11 to 12 and the NCP nine to 10. However, differences persist, with the Shiv Sena reportedly pressing for the home portfolio for Mr. Shinde, a demand Mr. Fadnavis is said to have resisted. When he was Chief Minister between 2014 and 2019 and again as Deputy Chief Minister in the previous Shinde-led Mahayuti government, Mr. Fadnavis had kept the Home portfolio with him.  

The Mahayuti alliance secured a decisive victory in the November 20 Assembly elections, winning 230 of the 288 seats. The BJP emerged as the largest party with 132 seats, followed by Shiv Sena with 57 and the NCP with 41.

“Mr. Fadnavis is very particular that a few MLAs from Shiv Sena should not be part of his cabinet due to various reasons, a message that his had conveyed to Mr. Shinde,” a senior BJP leader told The Hindu. 

Despite the electoral success, the coalition’s formation faced initial hurdles, including Mr. Shinde stepping aside for Mr. Fadnavis to lead the government. Since then, the Shiv Sena has sought a prominent cabinet role for Mr. Shinde and other leaders, signalling the complexities of managing a three-party alliance.

Published - December 14, 2024 11:40 am IST