The long-awaited expansion of Maharashtra’s cabinet is set to take place today, with the swearing-in ceremony scheduled for Sunday evening in Nagpur. This comes just a day before the commencement of the winter session of the Maharashtra Assembly. The cabinet expansion follows weeks of intense negotiations among the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP—three partners of the Mahayuti alliance—that triumphed in the state’s November 23 assembly elections.
As the BJP emerged as the largest party in the election, securing the most seats, the competition for ministerial berths within the new BJP-led Mahayuti government has become highly intense. MLAs from both the BJP and Shiv Sena are eagerly vying for positions in the cabinet and the council of ministers. This cabinet expansion is the first since Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis took oath alongside his two deputies, Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, two weeks ago.
After several rounds of discussions and negotiations, a final decision has been reached regarding the distribution of key portfolios and the power-sharing agreement between the alliance partners. As per reports, the BJP is expected to receive around 20-21 ministerial positions, followed by Shiv Sena with 11-12 and the NCP with 9-10.
However, the most intense competition is currently taking place within the Shiv Sena, which is led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Prominent MLAs such as Sanjay Shirsat, Yogesh Kadam, Vijay Shivtare, Bharat Gogawale, and Balaji Kinikar met with Shinde late Friday night to lobby for their inclusion in the cabinet. However, former ministers Deepak Kesarkar and Tanaji Sawant were reportedly kept waiting for hours and were unable to meet Shinde.
A significant point of contention is the BJP’s stance against including controversial or tainted figures in the new cabinet. The party has raised objections to the induction of certain Shiv Sena MLAs, including Kesarkar, Sawant, Abdul Sattar, and Sanjay Rathod. While Shinde’s exclusion of Kesarkar and Sawant might not harm his position, the inclusion of Sanjay Rathod remains critical to his political calculations. Rathod, a member of the Banjara community, holds considerable influence in Vidarbha, but his past association with a controversial suicide case has made his inclusion controversial. Chief Minister Fadnavis has indicated that Rathod should be excluded from the Sena’s list due to his controversial past.
In addition to Rathod, the BJP has expressed concerns over Abdul Sattar’s leadership style and Tanaji Sawant’s past conflicts with health secretaries during his tenure as health minister.
The upcoming cabinet expansion will see 30-32 ministers taking the oath, with the BJP securing the largest share of around 20 cabinet positions, and the rest allocated to the Shiv Sena. The Maharashtra cabinet has a maximum capacity of 43 members, including the chief minister.
The Mahayuti alliance secured a resounding victory in the November elections, winning 230 out of 288 seats in the state assembly. The BJP led with 132 seats, followed by Shinde’s Shiv Sena with 57, and the NCP with 41. The formation of the government, with multiple twists and turns, saw Shinde initially reluctant to join the cabinet, preferring to focus on party organization. However, after negotiations, he was persuaded to take the oath as Deputy CM. The Shiv Sena has repeatedly requested a prominent portfolio for Shinde, particularly the home ministry, but the BJP has refused to accommodate this demand.
The cabinet expansion today marks a crucial step in cementing the power-sharing arrangement between the alliance partners and ensuring a smooth functioning of the newly-formed government.
