Shinde-Fadnavis visit Delhi amid speculation about cabinet expansion

Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis flew to Delhi unannounced to reportedly meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah and discuss cabinet expansion.

MUMBAI: On Sunday evening, Eknath Shinde and Devendra Fadnavis, after inaugurating nine flyovers in Pune and laying the foundation stone of 11 others, flew down to Delhi together. The visit was not shown in either of their official schedules, and speculation is rife that the CM and deputy CM are likely to meet union home minister Amit Shah to discuss the Maharashtra cabinet expansion.

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There are conjectures that the second expansion of the Shinde-Fadnavis government is likely to happen soon, as there is no legal hurdle left following the verdict of the Supreme Court in favour of the Shinde Sena—although the court did pass several strictures against the coalition government. The expansion was also hinted at by senior leaders from both parties. The current strength of Maharashtra ministerial council is 20.

The Shinde-Fadnavis government was formed back in June 2022. The first cabinet expansion took place on August 9, 2022, during which nine MLAs each from both parties were inducted. Before that, it was only Shinde as CM and Fadnavis as his deputy who ran the government for around 41 days.

Shinde and Fadnavis are expected to be back in Mumbai in the early hours of Monday.