Maharashtra Cabinet Expansion: Oath Taking Ceremony in Nagpur

A closely awaited Maharashtra cabinet expansion would take place on December 15 and the oath-taking is going to be held in the state’s winter capital city of Nagpur. It is nearly two weeks after the swearing-in ceremony that involved the state chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde, and Ajit Pawar, all of whom constitute this coalition government, including members from the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP. The three constituents, after much deliberation and discussion, have arrived at a consensus regarding ministerial portfolios.

It is a ceremony to make history for the state government as the latter has decided to take the oath there instead of the usual destination, Mumbai. The winter session of the state legislature begins in Nagpur on December 16. On the day of the event, 30-32 ministers from the three-party coalition are slated to be sworn in.

Portfolio Distribution Among Coalition Partners

High-pitched negotiations between the Mahayuti alliance have brought about sharing of cabinet positions. The BJP will be guaranteed 20 to 21 cabinet positions, while the Shiv Sena is said to get 11 to 12. It may gain 9 to 10 for the NCP. All three parties are covered because the maximum cabinet size under the Constitution can go to 43 members with one being the Chief Minister.

Shiv Sena leaders have been arguing that Eknath Shinde’s contribution is not to be belittled, but they have been lobbying for the home portfolio. Still, reports suggest that BJP has refused to give in on this very crucial portfolio.

Deputy Chief Minister Shinde will probably play a crucial role in the cabinet expansion due to his leadership in the Shiv Sena faction.

The journey to this cabinet expansion has been eventful. The BJP emerged as the dominant force in the assembly elections held on November 20, securing 132 seats out of the 288 in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly. The Mahayuti alliance collectively achieved a commanding majority with 230 seats. The Shiv Sena garnered 57 seats, while the NCP claimed 41.

Initially, Eknath Shinde was not in favor of joining the government and wanted to engage himself with party building activities. Finally, he was convinced for the Deputy Chief Minister position so that there is stable and efficient administration. Veteran leader of NCP Ajit Pawar has been instrumental in bargaining his party’s share in the cabinet.

Important Meetings and Discussions

The state BJP president, Chandrashekhar Bawankule, met the two deputy chief ministers separately, Shinde and Pawar. In another important meeting, at the bungalow of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar at Deogiri in South Mumbai, the top NCP leaders decided on their party’s representation in the cabinet. The discussion in these meetings was towards an amicable solution of the differences so that the base of the government could be established.

Focus on Stability and Governance

Cabinet Expansion will be the expression for the Mahayuti Government alliance in Maharashtra to ensure the State Government. Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis “Coalition dossiers so that the core pressing issues of the State government that would work together to fortify the very structural Administrative Machinery of the Government

The Road Ahead

This is going to be very dynamic political time for Maharashtra government as it is all set to finalize its expansion of the cabinet and this winter session of the state legislature awaits it. In this crucial time, it is going to make important decisions that are going to shape governance in the state along with its politics.

The oath ceremony scheduled for December 15 in Nagpur is going to be a turning point for Maharashtra’s political leadership as it sets a new course for cooperative and effective governance under the Mahayuti alliance.