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Shinde, Fadnavis call on BJP brass; Maharashtra cabinet expansion likely next week
In the cabinet expansion, 13 ministers including five from the Sena and eight from the BJP will be sworn in, the functionary said, adding that the second expansion is likely to be held after the monsoon session of legislature, expected from July 20.
Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday said the state’s council of ministers will be expanded after discussions with deputy chief minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Devendra Fadnavis next week.
He exuded confidence that the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance government in the state will complete its tenure in office and even win the next assembly elections.
A BJP functionary familiar with the development said the decision on cabinet expansion will be taken after the Supreme Court’s verdict on the petition filed by the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction, seeking the disqualification of Shinde and 15 legislators from the assembly and challenging the governor’s decision to invite Shinde-led faction and the BJP to form the government.
The apex court is likely to hear the petition on July 11. “In the meantime, the first cabinet expansion is planned to run the government until the court gives its decision,” said the functionary, requesting anonymity.
In the cabinet expansion, 13 ministers including five from the Sena and eight from the BJP will be sworn in, the functionary said, adding that the second expansion is likely to be held after the monsoon session of legislature, expected from July 20.
“The issue of allocation of ministerial berths was discussed at a meeting between Shinde, Fadnavis and BJP national president JP Nadda on Saturday,” the functionary said.
The parties have broadly discussed the allocation of ministries, the BJP functionary said. He, however, declined to comment on whether the issue of who will get portfolios of home and finance has been resolved.
Both the Maharashtra leaders also held a long meeting with Union home minister Amit Shah on Friday evening. On Saturday, the duo also called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Ram Nath Kovind.
Talking to reporters along with Fadnavis in Delhi, Shinde said the government sworn in on June 30 will “complete its tenure in office and the decision about the expansion of the Maharashtra council of ministers will be taken in Mumbai next week”.
He dismissed Thackeray’s call for mid-term elections, asserting his government is strong and stable with the support of 164 MLAs in the House of 288, while the opposition has only 99.
Shinde and Fadnavis assumed office on June 30, after Thackeray resigned as the chief minister facing a massive rebellion in the Shiv Sena that brought down the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi government. The Shiv Sena-BJP alliance won a trust vote in the assembly on July 4.
Calling the Shiv Sena and BJP “natural allies”, Fadnavis said: “I am with Shinde. I have been the chief minister and I know the CM is the leader. We will work under Shinde’s leadership. Our primary goal is to make this government successful.”
When asked whether the BJP cadre was disappointed at his “demotion” as the deputy CM, Fadnavis said, “In 2019, the BJP workers felt insulted. We had sought votes together, but our ally had left us. The party workers are now happy. Their pain has now been removed.”
(With inputs from Faisal Malik in Mumbai)
