Maharashtra Cabinet Expansion To Take Place Today Amid Intense Power-Sharing Talks

The swearing-in ceremony for the Maharashtra cabinet is set to take place in Nagpur on Sunday evening, a day before the winter session of the state assembly begins.

This announcement follows weeks of intense negotiations among the Mahayuti alliance partners - the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP - who secured a decisive victory in the Maharashtra assembly elections held on 23 November.

Photo Credit: PTI

The competition for ministerial positions in the BJP-led Mahayuti government has grown fierce, with MLAs from both the BJP and Shiv Sena lobbying for key roles in the cabinet and council of ministers.

This cabinet expansion marks the first since Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis took his oath of office two weeks ago alongside his two deputies - Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar.

After prolonged deliberations, multiple discussions, and senior-level meetings, an agreement on key portfolios and the power-sharing arrangement between the three coalition partners has been reached, paving the way for the induction of new ministers.

Given their dominant electoral performance, the BJP is expected to secure 20-21 ministerial berths, followed by 11-12 for Shiv Sena and 9-10 for the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), according to reports from news agency PTI.

Tensions Within Shiv Sena

The competition within the Shiv Sena, led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, has been particularly intense. On Friday night, notable MLAs such as Sanjay Shirsat, Yogesh Kadam, Vijay Shivtare, Bharat Gogawale, and Balaji Kinikar met with Shinde to present their cases. However, former ministers Deepak Kesarkar and Tanaji Sawant reportedly waited over five hours without securing a meeting with Shinde.

The BJP has remained firm in its stance against the inclusion of controversial or "tainted" MLAs and has objected to the inclusion of Kesarkar, Sawant, Abdul Sattar, and Sanjay Rathod. While Kesarkar and Sawant's exclusion may not significantly impact Shinde politically, the inclusion of Rathod, who represents the influential Banjara community in Vidarbha, is considered critical to Shinde's broader socio-political strategy.

Rathod has faced allegations regarding the suicide of a young woman in Pune, with Fadnavis reiterating that Rathod should not be included in the Sena's list.

Furthermore, sources claim that Abdul Sattar has faced complaints of authoritarian behaviour, and Sawant, in his role as health minister, had repeated clashes with senior health officials.

A senior BJP leader told PTI on Friday that approximately 30-32 ministers are expected to take their oaths on Sunday, with around 20 from the BJP and the remaining seats filled by the Shiv Sena and NCP. Under the constitutional provisions, Maharashtra's council of ministers can include a maximum of 43 members, including the chief minister.

Maharashtra Assembly Election Results

In the elections held on 20 November, the Mahayuti coalition achieved a sweeping victory, winning 230 out of 288 seats. The BJP emerged as the largest party with 132 seats, followed by Shinde's Shiv Sena with 57 and Ajit Pawar's NCP securing 41.

The government formation process has been marked by political manoeuvring, with Eknath Shinde ultimately stepping aside to allow Devendra Fadnavis to assume the chief minister's post. Shinde, who initially preferred to focus on party organisation and was reluctant to join the government, was eventually persuaded to take the role of deputy chief minister.

The Shiv Sena has, on several occasions, pushed for Shinde to receive a portfolio commensurate with his stature, including the influential home ministry, a demand the BJP has firmly declined.