BJP wants new faces in cabinet, say sources

Sources claim that the BJP’s central leadership wants to replicate the Gujarat model of cabinet in Maharashtra wherein, as in the neighbouring state, the cabinet comprises relatively new faces

Mumbai While Maharashtra’s political establishment awaits the Supreme Court’s order on the various petitions filed by the Shiv Sena and the Eknath Shinde faction, there is another point of contention that is emerging over the cabinet expansion. It’s been over a month since Eknath Shinde and Devendra Fadnavis have been running a two-man government.

The party’s central leadership which steered the MVA’s overthrow last month, is expected to drop a few old names (HT Photo)

Sources claim that the BJP’s central leadership wants to replicate the Gujarat model of cabinet in Maharashtra wherein, as in the neighbouring state, the cabinet comprises relatively new faces.

The party’s central leadership which steered the MVA’s overthrow last month, is expected to drop a few old names like Jaykumar Rawal, Babanrao Lonikar, Sambhaji Patil Nilangekar, Pankaja Munde—all of them were ministers in the last BJP-Sena government in 2014-19. Similarly, senior leaders such as Chandrashekhar Bawankule and Ashish Shelar are likely to be kept out of the cabinet. The powerful leader, Chandrakant Patil may not be made minister as he is the party head in Maharashtra.

“We are prepared to see some unexpected faces selected for the 27 ministries that are available to the BJP,” said a senior party leader unwilling to be quoted. He added that the cabinet formation will be finalized by the BJP’s central leadership in Delhi rather than the leadership in Mumbai. While the state leadership, he said, was pushing to retain some of the seniors from the previous Fadnavis cabinet, central leaders are keen on bringing in young faces so that a second line of leaders can be readied. He added that the first list has been prepared by deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis but the final approval will come from home minister and former party president Amit Shah.

“Even the five-member core committee of state BJP is not a part of the decision-making in this case as all of them are ministerial contenders themselves. Our central leadership has its own strategy based on their own independent assessment and feedback on the various names,” said the leader.

A former minister said inductions of newer faces in the cabinet was inevitable as more than ten seniors from the previous Fadnavis government were out of the race. Some of them are not members of the legislature or have been elected to the parliament. “Girish Bapat, Anil Bonde have been elected to the parliament, while Vinod Tawde, Pankaja Munde, Prakash Mehta, Rajkumar Patole, Raje Amrishrao Atram are out of race either for having lost the 2019-Assembly polls or not having contested the polls. One of the three names – Chandrakant Patil, Chandrashekhar Bawankule and Ashish Shelar- who are being considered for the post of state unit chief will not be considered for a cabinet berth.”

Former ministers Jaykumar Rawal and Sambhaji Nilangekar are facing criminal cases of serious proportions hence their names may not figure in the list. Former ministers Sanjay Kute and Ravindra Chavan are expected to be given key portfolios in the cabinet looking at their role during the split in the Shiv Sena. The two leaders were instrumental is liaising with the rebel Sena MLAs during their stay in Surat and Guwahati.