The Maharashtra cabinet expansion will happen this week, sources said
The cabinet expansion in Maharashtra is likely to happen this week after a series of meetings to iron out pending issues that were holding up the move amid wrangling over the Home Ministry in the state, sources have said.
The expansion of the Maharashtra cabinet will take place "before you can even imagine", Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had told reporters in Delhi in response to questions on the induction of new ministers.
Mr Fadnavis is likely to get the Home portfolio, sources said, clearing the path for cabinet expansion in Maharashtra which has been functioning with a two-member cabinet since June 30.
Both Mr Fadnavis and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde were in Delhi over the weekend as Mr Shinde along with 22 other chief ministers attended a NITI Aayog meeting.
Mr Fadnavis announced that Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has been given the responsibility to coordinate efforts to better the BJP's performance in Baramati, the Pawar family stronghold in western Maharashtra, from where Sharad Pawar's daughter Supriya Sule is the MP.
Mr Fadnavis has said the BJP has embarked on a mission to improve its footprint in Maharashtra in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections by identifying 16 parliamentary constituencies where opposition parties have had a consistent winning streak.
He said these constituencies included those held by Shiv Sena leaders who have now joined Team Shinde.
"Since Shiv Sena and BJP will contest the Lok Sabha elections as a coalition, the BJP will work to ensure the victory of the sitting Lok Sabha members from these constituencies," Mr Fadnavis said.
