Maharashtra cabinet expansion: Ajit Pawar back as Dy CM, Aaditya gets cabinet rank

Mumbai, Dec 30: Ajit Pawar was on Monday sworn in as Maharashtra's deputy chief minister for the second time in two months and Shiv Sena's Aaditya Thackeray took oath as part of Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's expanded cabinet today.

Pawar, 60, was sworn in today by Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, along with 35 other ministers joining Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's government.

The Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government led by Uddhav Thackeray was formed on November 28.

Maharashtra can have a maximum of 43 ministers. The size of council of ministers cannot exceed 15 per cent of the total number of MLAs, which is 288 in the state.

The Shiv Sena last month joined hands with the Congress and NCP, its traditional adversaries, after its alliance with the BJP collapsed over the issue of sharing the chief ministerial post.

As per the power-sharing formula decided by the three MVA allies, the Sena will get 15 ministerial berths, excluding the CM's post, the NCP will also get 15 and the Congress 12. The Shiv Sena has 56 MLAs, the NCP-54 and the Congress-44 in the 288-member House.