Devendra Fadnavis finalises BJP’s 22 ministers for Maharashtra cabinet

Although chief minister Devendra Fadnavis maintained that no date had been finalised, deputy CM Ajit Pawar hinted at the swearing-in happening on December 14

MUMBAI: While uncertainty persists on the first expansion of the state cabinet of Mahayuti 2.0, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has finalised its list of legislators to be inducted as ministers into the state cabinet. The three ruling parties may go ahead with the expansion before the winter session, which begins on Monday, by finalising the distribution of portfolios by Friday evening.

New Delhi, Dec 12 (ANI): Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis presents a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in New Delhi on Thursday. (ANI Photo) (Devendra Fadnavis-X)

Although chief minister Devendra Fadnavis maintained that no date had been finalised, deputy CM Ajit Pawar hinted at the swearing-in happening on December 14. The three ruling parties are expected to keep five to six berths vacant to pacify the vast number of aspirants.

Following his meetings with party bosses in New Delhi, Fadnavis is expected to hold a meeting with Eknath Shinde and Pawar to finalise the power-sharing arrangement. The CM met Narendra Modi on Thursday morning and discussed power-sharing and the priorities for the newly formed government. The duo reportedly discussed the schemes and projects to be implemented with the help of central funding.

Fadnavis also held a series of meetings with BJP president J P Nadda and union home minister Amit Shah on Wednesday to discuss the cabinet expansion. “We have finalised which of our MLAs will be inducted as ministers,” he said during his interaction with the Delhi media. “The final approval will come from the BJP central leadership. The NCP and Shiv Sena names will be finalised by the leaders of the respective parties.”

The BJP has decided to retain 23 berths, including the chief ministership. Six of the 22 are expected to be ministers of state. The party has reportedly chalked up a regional and caste-community balance in the list of leaders to be inducted. Most legislators like Sudhir Mungantiwar, Girish Mahajan, Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, Suresh Khade and Mangal Prabhat Lodha are reportedly being retained in the cabinet. In addition, Sanjay Kute, Ashish Shelar and Nitesh Rane are expected to be inducted.

The BJP’s central leadership also reportedly discussed the possible defection of MPs and MLAs from the opposition NCP (SP) while deliberating on the expansion of the cabinet. A section of BJP leaders is advising the party to delay the expansion to minimise the pressure from its allies, especially the Shiv Sena, for key portfolios.

While Fadnavis insisted that the date for swearing in the ministers had not been finalised, Ajit Pawar, who met Amit Shah in Delhi on Thursday to discuss the power-sharing, said that the expansion was expected to happen on December 14. An NCP leader on condition of anonymity revealed that the party was getting seven ministerial berths and three ministers of state as well as the post of deputy speaker. “Apart from finance, we are expecting the housing department as an infrastructure-related department,” he said.

As per the latest formula agreed on, each party will keep at least one infrastructure-related department. The Shiv Sena has been asked to choose between the urban development department and the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation. Shinde had retained both departments for his party in the previous government.

The BJP, which has 132 legislators, has decided to take the major chunk of power, keeping 22 ministerial berths with it. Apart from home and speaker of the assembly, the party is expected to retain revenue, water resources, medical education and energy among others. The Shiv Sena, which has 57 MLAs, is expected to get 11 berths. The NCP has 41 MLAs.

Of the 43 berths, which is 15% of the total number of legislators in the lower house, the Mahayuti government is expected to keep five to six berths vacant to pacify aspirants. “With the huge number of aspirant MLAs in the ruling parties, the BJP and Shiv Sena are expected to keep certain berths vacant while going in for expansion,” said a BJP leader. “Ajit Pawar is against keeping berths vacant and is expected to go for the full-fledged induction of his share in the cabinet.”

The CM and his two deputy CMs are expected to meet in Mumbai either on Thursday night or Friday to fine-tune the power-sharing pact, including departments, guardianships of various districts and the names of MLAs to be inducted. Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde is reportedly unhappy with the departments being offered to him and the BJP’s condition of dropping tainted Sena leaders like Abdul Sattar and Tanaji Sawant from the cabinet. He thus did not go to Delhi to meet Shah and stayed put at his Thane residence.