
(Image source from: x.com/CMOMaharashtra)
The Maharashtra Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis, expanded his cabinet today, more than three weeks after the election results were announced. Thirty-nine ministers took the oath in a grand ceremony in Nagpur, which is Fadnavis' constituency. Maharashtra has a maximum of 43 ministerial positions, and now 42 of them are filled, with 19 from the BJP, 11 from the Shiv Sena, and 9 from the NCP. Fadnavis, along with his deputies, attended the event at the Raj Bhavan in Nagpur. Several prominent BJP and Shiv Sena leaders were sworn in as ministers, including those representing Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's faction. Additionally, some NCP leaders were also inducted into the cabinet.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, other prominent BJP members, and allies were involved. The delay in cabinet expansion was due to disputes over responsibilities. While former Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had to accept the role of Mr Fadnavis's Deputy, his party had hoped to secure the most significant portfolios, including the home ministry, which the BJP was unwilling to relinquish. Since Mr Fadnavis became Chief Minister, he has managed the home portfolio, even when Mr Shinde held the position. In the recent assembly election, the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance secured a landslide victory, winning 235 seats. The BJP emerged as the single largest party with 132 seats, while the Shiv Sena and the NCP obtained 57 and 41 seats, respectively.