Even five days after the swearing-in ceremony of the Mahayuti government in Maharashtra, tensions over cabinet and portfolio distribution remain unsolved. Discussions between the top leaders of the Mahayuti alliance have been ongoing for the past few days. However, disagreements over cabinet expansion and portfolio allocation continue to persist. As a result, a final decision on portfolio distribution is now likely to be made in Delhi. For this purpose, the key leaders of the three alliance parties—Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar—are scheduled to travel to the National on Wednesday, December 11, according to media reports.
According to initial information, Devendra Fadnavis, Eknath Shinde, and Ajit Pawar will leave for Delhi today afternoon. The trio is expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP National President JP Nadda. Although the visit is officially described as a goodwill gesture, discussions on cabinet expansion in the state are likely to take place. Important decisions regarding the Mahayuti government’s cabinet expansion are expected to be made during these meetings. Consequently, Maharashtra's political circles will be closely watching the developments in Delhi today.
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The expansion of the Mahayuti cabinet must be completed before the winter session. According to sources, the cabinet expansion is likely to take place on December 14. Against this backdrop, today’s meeting in Delhi is considered pivotal. A final decision on the key Home Minister portfolio is also expected during this meeting. It will be interesting to see the demands put forward by Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar to the BJP during this discussion. If the cabinet expansion is indeed scheduled for December 14, the allocation of portfolios will need to be finalised in the next day or two. Therefore, today’s meeting in Delhi is expected to result in several critical decisions.
Shiv Sena to Receive 13 Ministerial Posts Amid BJP Opposition to Abdul Sattar's Name?
An important meeting was held in Thane on Tuesday regarding the state cabinet expansion. BJP state president Chandrashekhar Bawankule visited Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s residence in Thane. During the meeting, Bawankule connected Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis with Eknath Shinde over the phone. According to sources, Shiv Sena is expected to secure the Urban Development portfolio along with the post of Deputy Chief Minister and 13 ministerial positions. However, BJP has expressed strong opposition to the inclusion of MLA Abdul Sattar in the cabinet. Reportedly, some Shiv Sena MLAs have also opposed Abdul Sattar’s name.