Maharashtra ministry expansion, portfolio allocation to happen this week

Mumbai: Amid Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’s New Delhi visit and meeting BJP’s top brass, it emerged that the ministry expansion and portfolio allocation would take place over the weekend ahead of the Nagpur winter session of the state legislature.

Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar want the exercise to be completed by the weekend so that the legislative work can progress smoothly.

During the two-day visit to the national capital, Fadnavis made courtesy calls to President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Health and Family Welfare Minister and BJP President Jagat Prakash Nadda and Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari.

“I had a good meeting with Modi and issues related to Maharashtra were discussed. The Prime Minister extended full support to the state government,” said Fadnavis.

During the meeting with Shah, issues related to Maharashtra including the ministry expansion and portfolio allocations were discussed.

“Our list would be finalised by the BJP high-command…on the other hand, Shinde Saheb would take a call on Shiv Sena members in the ministry and is as Ajit Dada for the NCP colleagues,” said Fadnavis.

Pawar too was on a two-day visit to New Delhi, during which he along with his wife and Rajya Sabha member Sunetra Pawar, NCP Working President and Rajya Sabha member Praful Patel and state NCP President and Raigad MP Sunil Tatkare met NCP (SP) supremo Sharad Pawar and his wife Pratibha Pawar. “Today is Saheb’s birthday…tomorrow is Kaki’s birthday…we all wished them….some relations are beyond politics…(late Congress stalwart and first Chief Minister) Yashwantrao Chavan has taught us how to do cultured politics and we try to follow him,” said Pawar.

Asked what was discussed, he said: “Pawar Saheb discussed issues related to Maharashtra…, right from Parbhani violence to Parliament disruption, state cabinet expansion among others."

On the ministry and portfolio allocation, he said: “We expected it to happen on 14 December (Saturday).”

Asked whether Shinde was upset and he was not in New Delhi, Fadnavis said: “My purpose of visit is different…Ajit Dada’s purpose and engagements are different…Shinde Saheb has work in Mumbai.”

The BJP and its allies Shiv Sena and NCP are struggling to settle the numbers and portfolios.

As far as the total strength of the ministry is concerned, the government can have 43 ministers - 15 per cent of the total strength of the 288-member Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.

Principally, the three parties have agreed on a formula of BJP (21), Shiv Sena (12) and NCP (10) ratio in the ministry.

Around seventy percent of the ministers would be of Cabinet rank, while the rest Ministers of State.

The winter session starts in Nagpur on Monday.

There is a tug of war for the 10-odd key portfolios - Revenue, Home, Finance, Urban Development, Rural Development, Energy, Water Resources, Public Works, Agriculture, Excise.