NCP ministers' portfolio impasse continues, Maha cabinet expansion likely first

The Shinde-Fadnavis government in Maharashtra has not yet allocated portfolios to the nine ministers inducted into the cabinet, causing a delay.

Mumbai: Even eight days after the Ajit Pawar faction of the NCP joined it, the Shinde-Fadnavis government has not allocated portfolios to the nine ministers inducted into the cabinet. It is now expected that the government will go in for its third cabinet expansion this week before assigning the portfolios ahead of the monsoon session which begins on next Monday.

Fron left to right, NCP leader and Maharashtra Dy CM Ajit Pawar, Dy CM Devendra Fadnavis and CM Eknath Shinde (File Photo) (HT_PRINT)

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The allocation of the portfolios has been delayed due to differences between the ruling BJP and Shiv Sena. Chief minister Shinde and deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis held a couple of meetings to decide on the number of legislators to be inducted, the reshuffling of portfolios of existing ministers and dropping of existing ministers due to controversies and non-performance. The duo is reportedly on the same page as far as expanding the cabinet and changing the departments of some ministers is concerned.

Three to four new faces from the BJP and Sena are likely to be inducted into the cabinet while the Ajit NCP faction could get three more berths. The leaders of all three ruling parties are reportedly of the opinion that three to four berths in the 43-member cabinet need to be kept vacant to avoid any dissenting voices from their parties.

“There was an initial proposal to sack the non-performing and controversial ministers from Shinde’s party, while the BJP wanted to relieve some of its ministers for organisational work,” said a BJP leader. “Both these things are near-unlikely now. But there will be a major reshuffle of portfolios of existing ministers based on performance and other political equations.”

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The Ajit Pawar faction is expected to get revenue, energy, food and civil supplies and the social justice department, which are currently held by the two other ruling parties. Although Pawar wanted the finance department for himself, Shinde has reportedly opposed it, because of which Pawar will have to settle for the revenue department. The BJP’s Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil will have to give up revenue and settle for the relatively less important cooperation department. BJP ministers Atul Save and Mangal Prabhat Lodha are likely to be divested of their portfolios. Lodha may lose the women and child welfare department while Save will have to settle for some other department.

From the Shinde camp, health minister Tanaji Sawant and agriculture minister Abdul Sattar are likely to get other departments.

Legislative council deputy chairman Neelam Gorhe, who joined the Shinde-led Sena two days ago, is likely to be inducted into the cabinet. She is reportedly eyeing the women and child welfare or public health department. Bharat Gogawale, Sanjay Raymulkar and independent MLA Bachchu Kadu are other names from the Shinde faction likely to be inducted.

The Ajit Pawar faction is demanding the chairman’s post in the upper house as part of the power-sharing equation between the three parties. However, BJP leaders are keen on the post, as the party has the highest number of members—22—in the council. The MLAs who are expected to be inducted into the cabinet are Prakash Solankhe, Dattratrey Bharne, Makrand Patil and Satish Chavan.

The BJP is expected to induct former minister Sanjay Kute, MLA Devyani Farande or MLA Madhuri Misal, Vijay Deshmukh and MLC Parinay Fukey. Amid the reports that union minister Narayan Rane is expected to be dropped in the next expansion, his son Nitesh may be picked for a berth.

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“All the 29 ministers from the three parties are cabinet ministers, and the new faces to be inducted are expected to be junior ministers,” said a Sena leader. “It will be a Herculean task for the parties to pick the newcomers. The CM and two deputy chief ministers are expected to hold meetings in the next two days to take a call on the names. If negotiations on this fail, and if the cabinet expansion is deferred, it is also possible that just the eight ministers inducted last week will be allocated departments.”