Maharashtra cabinet expansion: Oath-taking in Nagpur on December 15

Mumbai: The BJP-led Maharashtra government will expand its cabinet on December 15, with the swearing-in ceremony for new ministers to be held in Nagpur, as per reports. A senior BJP leader informed PTI that around 30-32 ministers are expected to take the oath.

The winter session of the Maharashtra state legislature, which lasts a week, will commence on December 16 in Nagpur, the state's second capital. On December 5, Devendra Fadnavis was sworn in as Chief Minister, with Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde and NCP leader Ajit Pawar taking the oath as his deputies during a grand ceremony in Mumbai.

The Maharashtra cabinet, including the Chief Minister, can comprise up to 43 members. State BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule met separately with deputy Chief Ministers Shinde and Pawar on Friday to finalise the cabinet formation.

Ajit Pawar held discussions with his party leaders during an intensive meeting at his Deogiri bungalow in south Mumbai. In the November 20 assembly elections, announced on November 23, the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance secured a landslide victory, winning 230 of the 288 seats in the state assembly. The BJP claimed 132 seats, Shinde's Shiv Sena won 57, and Pawar's NCP secured 41.

The process of forming the government has encountered several complexities. Shinde, who initially wanted to focus on party organisation and avoid joining the government, eventually agreed to take the deputy CM post after being persuaded.

The Shiv Sena has repeatedly emphasised Shinde's stature and has demanded a portfolio such as a home, which the BJP has resisted granting. Sources indicate that the BJP will likely retain 20-21 ministerial posts, while the Shiv Sena and NCP are expected to receive 11-12 and 9-10 berths, respectively.