MUMBAI: The Eknath Shinde-led government in Maharashtra may expand its cabinet after the presidential election, which goes to polls on Monday. Sources gave this information. Following the fall of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government following their rebellion, Shinde was sworn in as chief minister on June 30 along with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Devendra Fadnavis.
However, no date has been announced by the BJP or Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction regarding the cabinet expansion.
The Monsoon session of the Vidhan Sabha, which began on July 18, was postponed as the state government currently has only two members – the CM and the deputy CM.
“The cabinet is likely to distribute portfolios on July 20 or 21, followed by swearing-in and the monsoon session is likely to be held within the next 10 days. This will help ministers to know about their new ministries so that they can be on the floor. be able to answer questions of the House,” a senior BJP leader said on Sunday.
The BJP has 106 MLAs in the 288-member House and is expected to get more cabinet berths in the expansion, while eight ministers in the erstwhile Uddhav Thackeray-led government who later joined Shinde are also likely to be included.
The BJP leader said the party needs to strike a balance in terms of distribution of berths as only 18 months are left before the 2024 Lok Sabha and Maharashtra assembly elections.
“Once the election code of conduct is in place, one cannot take any important or policy decisions. Since there will also be a code of conduct for the assembly elections to be held in October 2024, the ministers will get very limited time (for development works). ) ),” he claimed.
Some MLAs of the Shinde faction have reportedly demanded a low-key swearing-in ceremony amid heavy rains in Maharashtra, while some have demanded that a public swearing-in ceremony be held in the premises of the Vidhan Bhavan.
(Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Zee News staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)