Maharashtra CM Fadnavis Expands MahaYuti Cabinet With 39 Ministers

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis expanded his Cabinet on Sunday, inducting 39 ministers from the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP. Governor CP Radhakrishnan administered the oath of office at a ceremony in Nagpur. The expansion comes just before the winter session of the Assembly.

The MahaYuti alliance followed a 21-12-10 formula for ministerial berths. BJP secured 19 positions, Shiv Sena got 11, and NCP filled 9. The Cabinet now has 33 Cabinet ministers and 6 ministers of state.

Fadnavis, along with Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, took oath earlier on December 5 in Mumbai. The Cabinet now has 42 members, just one short of the 43-member limit for Maharashtra’s 288-seat Assembly.

Regional Representation in MahaYuti Cabinet

The Cabinet ensures representation across Maharashtra. Mumbai-Thane has Ashish Shelar, Mangal Prabhat Lodha, and Pratap Sarnaik. Konkan is represented by Uday Samant, Bharat Gogawale, and Aditi Tatkare.

Northern Maharashtra leaders include Dada Bhuse, Gulabrao Patil, and Girish Mahajan. Western Maharashtra has key names like Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, Hasan Mushrif, and Shambhuraj Desai. Vidarbha includes Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Sanjay Rathod, and Akash Phundkar. Marathwada is represented by Pankaja Munde, Atul Save, and Meghana Bordikar.

Managing Resentment Over Exclusions

Shiv Sena and NCP implemented a two-and-a-half-year rotation formula for ministerial posts. This approach aims to reduce internal conflicts. However, some leaders expressed dissatisfaction over exclusions.

Shiv Sena legislator Narendra Bhondekar resigned in protest after not receiving a ministerial berth. Senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal, unhappy with his exclusion, skipped a party rally in Nagpur hours before the swearing-in.

Key BJP inductees include Chandrakant Patil, Girish Mahajan, and Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil. Shiv Sena leaders include Uday Samant, Dada Bhuse, and Sanjay Rathod. NCP ministers include Hasan Mushrif, Aditi Tatkare, and Dhananjay Munde.

The MahaYuti alliance views the Cabinet expansion as critical for governance. The new team aims to address regional aspirations while strengthening the coalition.

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