Maharashtra Cabinet expansion on the cards

An expansion of the Devendra Fadnavis-led BJP government's council of ministers in Maharashtra and an organisational reshuffle of the saffron party is on the cards ahead of the Nagpur winter session of the Assembly.

The BJP, however, still feels that the Shiv Sena must join the government—being a former ally—and efforts are still under way to convince the party.

On October 31, a 10-member ministry was sworn in, pending talks with the Shiv Sena. However, later the Uddhav Thackeray-led party preferred to stay away from the treasury benches and occupied the opposition benches. On November 12, the Fadnavis government won the confidence motion through a controversial voice vote. The Shiv Sena and the Congress have urged Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao to dismiss the government.

Fadnavis, the BJP state unit president, is expected to relinquish the charge to a new party chief. Fadnavis was initially expected to be replaced as state BJP chief by Pune Graduates Constituency MLC Chandrakant Shinde. However, Shinde has been made a minister.