Shinde-Fadnavis cabinet expansion likely after presidential polls

The presidential polls that are due for July 18 and the ongoing legal battle in the Supreme Court are likely to lead to the expansion of the Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis cabinet being postponed for now

The presidential polls that are due for July 18 and the ongoing legal battle in the Supreme Court are likely to lead to the expansion of the Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis cabinet being postponed for now. The Shinde faction of Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are also in the process of hammering out a power-sharing deal.

Chief minister Eknath Shinde with deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis at a press conference in Delhi. HT Photo

On Monday, the apex court ordered that Rahul Narwekar, speaker of the Maharashtra assembly, be informed that he should not decide on the disqualification notices issued to members of the rival faction, till the SC ruled on them.

Former minister Deepak Kesarkar, spokesperson of the Shinde camp, indicated that the expansion may be delayed till the presidential polls are over. At present, the cabinet has just two members — chief minister Shinde and deputy CM Fadnavis.

Kesarkar, a legislator from Sawantwadi, said while a representative from the Shinde camp would attend a meeting in New Delhi on Wednesday regarding the presidential polls, Draupadi Murmu, the nominee of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance would be in Mumbai the next day for her campaigning. While the expansion and swearing-in of the new ministers could be held on Friday, Saturday would see the legislators being corralled to coach them on the intricacies of voting in the elections, he said, adding a revision of the procedure would be done on Sunday.

“All MLAs will be busy in this. Who will have the time to wear good clothes and take the oath of office? They are not in such a tearing hurry,” Kesarkar told reporters on Monday.

“The state cabinet has taken office. It held its first meeting after the chief minister and deputy chief minister were sworn in. After the swearing-in, they went to Mantralaya and held their first meeting where important decisions were taken. The cabinet meets even today… The cabinet can consist of even two people. While the maximum number of ministers has been specified, the minimum number has not been laid down,” he added.

However, another legislator from the Shinde faction said there was a chance that the expansion may take place by the end of this week, perhaps on Friday or Saturday. He added that the exercise, including the power-sharing pact, was being handled entirely by Shinde and the BJP.

There are chances that the Shinde group may get to retain the departments held by Sena in the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi like urban development, transport, and industries, with the heavy-duty portfolios like home, finance, rural development, water resources, and housing being ceded to larger partner BJP in return for Shinde getting the chief minister’s chair.

Fadnavis has also spoken about how the state government may seek the postponement of the monsoon session of the legislature, which is scheduled to be held from Monday, as it coincides with the date of the presidential polls.