Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Thursday said the state cabinet expansion will take place on December 14 as per the formula decided by the ruling Mahayuti alliance leadership.
Speaking to reporters in Delhi, he also clarified that he visited Sharad Pawar to wish him on his 84th birthday.
“I went to wish him (NCP-SCP chief Sharad Pawar) on his birthday…Cabinet expansion in Maharashtra will take place on December 14,” Pawar told reporters.
Both Ajit Pawar and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis are in Delhi amid the deadlock in the Maharashtra portfolio distribution. However, Shiv Sena chief and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde stayed back in Mumbai.
Meanwhile, Fadnavis dismissed reports that they have come to Delhi to discuss the cabinet expansion.
Speaking to reporters, he said the formula for cabinet expansion has already been decided and that he has come to Delhi for a party related meeting, while Ajit Pawar is in the national capital for his own work.
“You people have run a lot of news about me and Ajit Pawar coming to Delhi that it is related to the cabinet expansion. I have seen those, but I would like to make one thing clear that I have come for party-related meetings and Ajit Pawar has come for his work… so there is no need to speculate much on these things,” he said.
“The formula for cabinet expansion is already decided. You will get to know about it soon,” the chief minister added.