Maharashtra Cabinet Expansion: 19 BJP MLAs, Including 3 Women Leaders, Likely To Take Oath

After weeks of hectic parleys over the Chief Minister chair and then the ‘who-gets-what-ministry’, the new BJP-led government in Maharashtra is all set to expand its Cabinet today. The BJP, which holds the highest share of Cabinet berths, will likely induct 19 MLAs, including three women leaders, sources said.

The list of probable BJP leaders are:

Pankaja Munde

Meghna Bordikar

Madhuri Misal

Chandrashekhar Bawankule

Nitesh Rane

Shivendra Raje Bhosle

Chandrakant Patil

Pankaj Bhoir

Mangal Prabhat Lodha

Girish Mahajan

Jayakumar Rawal

Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil

Ganesh Naik

Atul Save

Aakash Fundkar

Ashok Uike

Jayakumar More

Sanjay Savkare

Ashish Shelar

According to sources, Maharashtra may have 40 ministers in its new Cabinet, with 50 per cent of new and young faces likely to be inducted. The council of ministers in the state can have a maximum of 43 members, including the Chief Minister.

While former Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena may get around 12 Cabinet seats, Ajit Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) may get 10 seats, sources. At least six new leaders from the Shiv Sena are likely to take oath as ministers – Pratap Sarnaik, Prakash Abitkar, Sharat Gogavale, Yogesh Kadam, Ashish Jaiswal, and Sanjay Shirsat.

Mr Shinde’s Sena faction is believed to want the Home portfolio, which was previously held by Devendra Fadnavis. However, the BJP is unlikely to give it up and keep it to themselves, sources said. The Sena may be offered Urban Development, Public Works Department, and Revenue.

The Cabinet expansion will take place today at 4 pm in Nagpur.

In the November 20 assembly elections, the Mahayuti won 230 out of 288 seats in the state. While the BJP secured 132 seats, the Sena bagged 57 and NCP got 41 seats. On December 5, Devendra Fadnavis took oath as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra with former Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and NCP leader Ajit Pawar as his deputies.

The Mahayuti alliance had also come under fire from the opposition for not naming its Cabinet for weeks despite having an overwhelming majority.

Ahead of the Cabinet expansion, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis held a roadshow in Nagpur. He was accompanied by his wife Amruta Fadnavis and state BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule.

“Nagpur city is my family and my family is welcoming me,” he said during the roadshow.