Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will add to his ministry on 15 December at Nagpur and not on 14 December at Mumbai. A senior BJP functionary confirmed that the oath taking ceremony will take place at Raj Bhavan on 15 December on the eve of a week long winter session of the Maharashtra Legislature beginning from 16 December.
Governor CP Radhakrishnan will administer the oath of office to new ministers.
The MahaYuti partners have worked out a formula for sharing cabinet berths; thus, BJP is likely to get 21, Shiv Sena 12 and NCP 10. The cabinet formula has been finalized on the basis of the strength of the three partners. BJP has 132 legislators, Shiv Sena 57 and NCP 41. All 40 ministers from three parties are likely to take oath on Sunday.
"BJP has yet to get a nod from the party's central leadership for its list. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to give its approval on Saturday and thereafter the cabinet expansion will take place on Sunday at Nagpur," said a BJP functionary.
State BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Thursday evening met Deputy CM and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde seeking his consent for the swearing-in function on December 15 instead of December 14. After that Bawankule on Friday met NCP chief and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar and also took his consent for the swearing-in ceremony to be slated for December 15.
Earlier on Wednesday and Thursday, Fadnavis, who was accompanied by Bawankule, had held a series of meetings with the PM, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari and party chief JP Nadda. Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar met Shah over cabinet expansion on Wednesday night when Shinde was conspicuous by his absence.
After the cabinet expansion, Fadnavis will host a customary tea meeting with cabinet colleagues and opposition parties and later he will chair the cabinet meeting to discuss the agenda including Bills to be tabled during the winter session.
BJP has already rejected Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde's demand for giving home, revenue and housing departments to his party. BJP will retain home and revenue while it will give housing to NCP led by Deputy CM Ajit Pawar. BJP had promised to give housing to NCP after Ajit Pawar joined the MahaYuti government in July 2023. But it did not happen, so now the BJP will fulfill its promise.
BJP is expected to retain Home, Revenue, Energy, Irrigation, Public Works, Rural Development, Forest, Tourism, Cultural Affairs, Higher and Technical Education, and OBC welfare. On the other hand, Shiv Sena will continue in urban development, industry, school education, public health, water supply, water and soil conservation, and MSRDC.
It will retain planning and finance, cooperation, food and civil supply, agriculture, medical education, women and child welfare, ports and sports in case of NCP.
This is for the second time since 1991 that cabinet expansion will take place at Maharashtra's second capital Nagpur. Chhagan Bhujbal was sworn in as the minister in the cabinet headed by chief minister Sudhakarrao Naik in 1991 after he revolted against Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray on the Mandal Commission report issue and joined Congress. Former Governor C Subramaniam had administered the oath of office and secrecy to Bhujbal.
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