Maharashtra Deputy CM meets CM Shinde for Diwali greetings

Mumbai, Oct 26: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis called on Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to extend greetings on the festival of Diwali.

The two leaders met late Tuesday night at the CM's official residence 'Varsha' in south Mumbai in the backdrop of BJP leader Fadnavis's comment earlier in the day that the state cabinet would be expanded soon.

The deputy CM was accompanied by his wife Amruta Fadnavis when he met Shinde at his residence where the CM's parliamentarian son Shrikant Shinde was also present.

Shinde had visited Gadchiroli district earlier on Tuesday to celebrate Diwali with police personnel stationed in the remote Bhamragad area to fight Maoists.

He arrived in state capital Mumbai late in the evening.

After meeting the CM, Fadnavis in a tweet said, "Visited Varsha & met CM @mieknathshinde ji and extended #Deepavali greetings to him and his family, earlier today."

The Shinde-BJP coalition government was formed on June 30 this year and recently completed 100 days in power.

The state Council of Ministers at present has 18 cabinet ministers including CM Shinde.

There are nine ministers each from the Shinde-led faction of the Shiv Sena and ally BJP.

The Council of Ministers can have up to 43 members in Maharashtra.