Maharashtra cabinet expansion: 39 ministers sworn in at Nagpur's Raj Bhavan after three decades

The swearing-in of 39 ministers at Raj Bhavan in Nagpur on Sunday, December 15, was the first held in Maharashtra's second capital in 33 years, the last such event being the cabinet expansion of the Sudhakarrao Naik dispensation in 1991.


Naik had expanded his council of ministers by inducting Shiv Sena rebels Chhagan Bhujbal and Rajendra Gole, who had switched over to the ruling Congress. The Congress' Beed legislator Jaidutt Kshirsagar was also inducted into the Naik government at the time.

They were administered the oath of office by Governor C Subramanium.

Incidentally, Bhujbal was the biggest name to be dropped from the Eknath Shinde government when 39 ministers were inducted into the Devendra Fadnavis cabinet on Sunday.

Naik was Chief Minister from June 25, 1991 to February 22, 1993.

Later, then assembly speaker Madhukarrao Chaudhary had approved the merger of the group of 12 Shiv Sena rebels with the Congress.

Incidentally, both Bhujbal and Gole were defeated in the next assembly polls held in 1995 from Mazgaon (in Mumbai) and Buldhana seats, respectively.