Too many leaders, too few seats: The cabinet expansion dilemma

With the expansion of the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) ministry expected next week, all three ruling parties are facing dilemma over picking legislators who outnumber

With the expansion of the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) ministry expected next week, all three ruling parties are facing dilemma over picking legislators who outnumber their limited ministerial berths. They need to give adequate representation to each region as well as communities that support these parties, and strike a balance between the old guards and young turks.

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The three-party MVA government of the Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress came to power on November 28, under the leadership of chief minister and Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray. Two senior leaders each from the three parties were sworn in, with the promise of expansion of the cabinet within a week.

After much delay in the expansion of the state cabinet, which currently has only seven ministers including the chief minister, against the strength of 43, the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) is expected to induct a number of legislators as ministers early next week.

The Shiv Sena and NCP are sharing 15 and 16 ministerial berths, while the Congress has been given 12 departments. The three parties are likely to keep two-three berths vacant for the next phase to pacify the aspirants by keeping their hopes alive.

NCP leader Ajit Pawar told the media: “The expansion will be held on December 23 or 24 after the Congress gets its list of leaders to be inducted cleared from the party leadership in Delhi. We have requested Shiv Sena to keep the agriculture department with them. Thackeray has respect among farmers and rural parts of the state and it will help us in completing the five-year term.”

“The Sena is likely to add 10 more ministers from its quota, while the NCP and Congress will induct 11 and eight legislators as ministers in the cabinet. Among them two-three each from the three parties will be ministers of state,” said a NCP leader.

“Barring the Shiv Sena, the two other parties have their own problems related to finalising names and allocation of portfolios. The NCP leadership was in two minds over giving the home department to Ajit Pawar, although the latter was keen on it. The Sena-NCP has mutually decided that the home department will go to the NCP, while the Sena
will retain the agriculture portfolio.

It is not clear so far if Ajit Pawar will be the home minister or Sharad Pawar will choose Dilip Walse Patil for the job. The Congress has too many young aspirants who want senior leaders to make way for them,” said a senior Shiv Sena leader.

Top leaders of the three parties are looking at giving adequate representation to all five regions – Konkan-Mumbai, north Maharashtra, Marathwada, western Maharashtra and Vidarbha – and the castes that support their parties.

The Congress and NCP fear that aspirant MLAs may defect. There are differences between the three parties over a few departments and the discussion over the exchange is still on.

After the Sena conceded home to the NCP, the Congress is now insisting on rural development or agriculture department.

“We have got fewer berths. Also, of them, except revenue, all are insignificant. During our party meeting in Nagpur on Thursday, All India Congress Committee general secretary Mallikarjun Kharge conveyed this to the party’s state leadership to bargain for exchange of some of the departments. Leaders from three parties will have a round of discussion over the departments. After that, a final decision on the names and responsibility of party ministers will be taken by the Congress leadership of the party,” said a Congress leader.

The Shiv Sena is likely to induct Diwakar Raote, Gulabrao Patil, Anil Parab, Neelam Gorhe, Tanaji Sawant, Sanjay Shirsat, Deepak Kesarkar, Sanjay Rathod, Dada Bhuse, Uday Samant and Ravindra
Waikar.

The NCP may give opportunity to Ajit Pawar, Dilip Walse Patil, Jitendra Awhad, Dhananjay Munde, Hassan Mushrif, Shashikant Shinde and Dharmarao Atram.

The Congress may induct Ashok Chavan, Vijay Wadettiwar, Varsha Gaikwad, KC Padvi, Amin Patel, Vishwajeet Kadam, Amit Deshmukh, Yashomati Thakur and Kunal Patil.