Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis stated on Thursday that he held discussions about the cabinet expansion and portfolio allocation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Minister Amit Shah, BJP President JP Nadda and party’s National General Secretary BL Santhosh.
“We also had some discussions regarding Maharashtra. The Prime Minister told me that Maharashtra is a very important state and he is ready to extend his full support and co-operation to Maharashtra. I also discussed the cabinet expansion with Nadda, Amit Shah and BL Santhosh. In our party, decisions are taken by the BJP parliamentary board and our senior leadership. As far as making ministers from the BJP quota is concerned, we will decide on it. Similarly, the NCP and Shiv Sena will decide the names of their ministers at their level. The formula for cabinet expansion has been decided. You will get to know about it soon,” Fadnavis stated in Delhi.
The Maharashtra CM’s meeting in Delhi on Wednesday night coincided with Deputy CM and NCP chief Ajit Pawar’s presence in the national capital, where he stayed at the residence of NCP leader Praful Patel.
After meeting Union Minister Amit Shah at Parliament, Deputy CM Ajit Pawar stated, “I went to wish him (NCP-SCP chief Sharad Pawar) on his birthday. The Maharashtra cabinet expansion will take place on December 14 (Saturday)”.
Meanwhile, sources confirmed that Fadnavis and BJP national president Nadda discussed cabinet expansion and allocation of ministerial portfolios with Union Minister Amit Shah, late night on Wednesday.
Sources said that Fadnavis along with Maharashtra State President Chandrashekhar Bawankule were involved in the discussions with Amit Shah in the presence of Mr Nadda. While the BJP wants at least 23 ministerial posts, currently it has stuck to its demand of 25 ministerial posts. Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena is likely to get 13 posts, while the NCP(Ajit Pawar) is likely to get 10 ministerial posts, according to sources.
Although it has been mentioned that portfolios will be distributed before the winter session of the Maharashtra assembly in Nagpur, there are indications that ministers who might take oath on Saturday (December 14) may be entrusted with the responsibility of various departments only after the winter session of the Maharashtra assembly beginning in Nagpur on December 16, is over.
Meanwhile, CM Fadnavis and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar are still in Delhi, where the allocation formula is being finalised so that cabinet expansion can take place on December 14. Yet, a BJP leader said that the ruling Mahayuti alliance would be able to expand the cabinet before the winter session beginning on December 16, only if all disputes are resolved by then.
It is learnt that after they return to Mumbai, Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar are expected to hold a meeting with Shinde on Thursday in Mumbai to finalise the names to be sworn in on Saturday (December 14), if everything goes well.
Significantly, Deputy CM Shinde who was also expected to attend the Wednesday meeting in Delhi, chose not to go since he was not offered anything more except the urban department portfolio, sources said. Sources said that Shinde is keen to get the post of Guardian Minister of Thane district where he resides, but the BJP has insisted that the post must instead go to a BJP minister because the majority of BJP MLAs won from Thane district during the Maharashtra assembly elections.
The BJP remained unwilling to assign the home and revenue portfolios to Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena after which Shinde demanded portfolios like revenue, public works, including Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), housing and energy for his party, but it is learnt that the BJP did not accept his demand.
Sources have stated that the Shiv Sena may get the urban development ministry, but it is unlikely to be given the revenue and home portfolios. The BJP is expected to retain 23 ministerial posts for itself, including the Chief Minister’s position, while around four to five ministerial posts may be kept vacant. It has been decided that the Shinde-led Sena will get the excise and public works department because these portfolios were held by the Sena in the previous Mahayuti government, sources said.
It is also learnt that Shinde is unhappy with the BJP’s condition that he must drop Sena leaders who faced corruption charges in the previous Mahayuti government. The BJP has opposed including MLA Abdul Sattar in the cabinet. Even some MLAs from Shiv Sena have also opposed Sattar’s name. The BJP is also opposed to inducting Tanaji Sawant and former minister Sanjay Rathod in the cabinet. Yet, Shinde is said to be adamant that Sawant must be included in the cabinet since he did a good job as the health minister.
According to a BJP leader who did not wish to be named, “While it has been decided who will get contentious departments like home, urban development and finance, the three parties may exchange a few portfolios here and there”. He stated that besides home and revenue portfolios, the BJP is expected to retain housing and water resources as well. The Ajit Pawar-led NCP may get the co-operation department, while talks about the agriculture portfolio are on between the BJP and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP.