Aug 09, 2022 12:32 pm
Maharashtra cabinet expansion has finally taken place after a wait period of 40 days. Eknath Shinde and Devendra Fadnavis had multiple meetings in Delhi over the last few weeks to hold discussions with the BJP high command for the distribution of portfolios.
A total of 18 ministers - nine legislators from each side - were sworn in. From the BJP, Sudhir Mungantiwar, Chandrakant Patil, Girish Mahajan, Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, Vijay Kumar Gavit, Ravindra Chavan, Mangal Prabhat Lodha, Atul Save, and Suresh Khade took oath.
In the Shinde camp, Dada Bhuse, Uday Samant, Sandeepan Bhumare,Deepak Kesarkar, Shambhuraj Desai, Abdul Sattar, Tanaji Sawant,Gulabrao Patil, and Sanjay Rathod were sworn in.
The oath ceremony came after huddles among MLAs of the BJP at Fadnavis’s residence on 'Monday night, and later among the legislators of the Shinde camp just ahead of the swearing-in ceremony.
The BJP has 106 MLAs in the Maharashtra assembly while the Shinde camp has a strength of 50 MLAs, including independent members. However, after Fadnavis took the role of the deputy chief minister, the BJP has ensured the balancing act in swearing in of ministers too.