Maharashtra: Eknath Shinde faction will neither get Home Ministry nor Revenue! Late night brainstorming between Nadda-Fadnavis at Amit Shah’s house

Mumbai. Maharashtra Chief Minister (CM) Devendra Fadnavis and BJP National President JP Nadda held a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah at his residence late on Wednesday night. The Mahayuti government took power on December 5 after a landslide victory in the Maharashtra Assembly elections. After that, this meeting took place amid speculation about the allocation of departments between BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP. Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde was not present in the meeting with Amit Shah.

According to sources, Devendra Fadnavis discussed portfolio allocation between the parties involved in the Mahayuti government with top BJP leaders. A senior BJP leader told news agency PTI that the cabinet expansion in Maharashtra could take place on December 14. The BJP leader also said that the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena will not get the home portfolio and the revenue portfolio is also unlikely to be allocated.

Cabinet expansion in Maharashtra may take place on December 14
On the condition of anonymity, the BJP leader said, “Cabinet expansion is likely to take place by December 14. Shiv Sena will not get the home portfolio, it may get the urban development ministry. Revenue portfolio is also unlikely. BJP will retain 21 to 22 ministerial posts including the chief minister’s post, and four to five ministerial posts may be kept vacant. Talks on portfolio allocation are getting delayed as it involves three parties (mahayuti allies – BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP).” The Maharashtra cabinet can have a maximum of 43 ministers, including the chief minister.

Shiv Sena MLA and spokesperson Sanjay Shirsat said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has made it clear that the portfolios will be allocated before the winter session of the state assembly, which begins on December 16. Earlier, when asked about his Delhi visit, Devendra Fadnavis told media persons that he is going to the national capital to pay a courtesy call on top BJP leaders after becoming the Chief Minister. He met President Draupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar.

In the assembly elections held on November 20 in Maharashtra, the Mahayuti alliance won a thumping majority by winning 230 out of 288 assembly seats. Devendra Fadnavis took oath as the Chief Minister on December 5. Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar took oath as Deputy Chief Ministers. Meanwhile, Devendra Fadnavis has appointed Rameshwar Naik as the head of the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. Naik replaced Mangesh Chivte, who was considered close to former CM Eknath Shinde.

Rameshwar Naik becomes the new Chief of CM Relief Fund
Mangesh Chivte was given this post after Shinde became the Chief Minister in June 2022. Rameshwar Naik was earlier the head of the Deputy Chief Minister’s Medical Aid Cell when Fadnavis was in the post. The Chief Minister’s Relief Fund provides assistance to families and individuals affected by natural disasters, family members and relatives of those who lost their lives in accidents or patients for treatment of major diseases.

Shiv Sena will not repeat its three ministers
Amid speculations on portfolio allocation, a Shiv Sena leader said that the party will not give a chance to three former ministers in the new state cabinet. The reason behind this is said to be their poor performance as ministers and not being accessible to the public. The party may give a chance to new faces in their place. A Shiv Sena MLA close to Eknath Shinde told PTI that the three former ministers who have been decided not to be included in the cabinet this time – come from Konkan, Western Maharashtra and Marathwada. Many MLAs of the party had complained that it was not easy for them to reach these three ministers during the previous Mahayuti government.