Fadnavis to induct new faces today
MUMBAI: After the cabinet expansion by the Modi government, Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis will induct 9-10 new faces at a function to be held in the Mantralaya on Friday morning.
Besides naming five or six BJP legislators, Fadnavis is expected to give at least two more berths to its partner Shiv Sena, while one legislator from two smaller allies will take oath.
For the BJP, Western Vidarbha is set to get at least two more ministers: Madan Yerawar from Yavatmal and one of the three legislators from Buldhana — Pandurang Phundkar, Sanjay Kute and Chainsukh Sancheti — will be sworn in.
Sambhaji Nilangekar from Nanded in Marathwada, Jaykumar Rawal from Dhule and Suresh Khade from Western Maharashtra are tipped to bag portfolios. Haribhau Jawale from Jalgaon in North Maharashtra and Prashant Thakur from Raigad are also in the fray. Yerawar may be inducted as minister. Minister of state for home Ram Shinde, who is from the Dhanagar (shepherd) community, is likely to be elevated as cabinet minister. By his elevation, the BJP will attempt the pacify the community, which is upset because of the government’s failure to fulfil its reservation promise ahead of the assembly elections, said a BJP party functionary.
Of the new ministers swearing in, two to three are likely to get the cabinet berth, while remaining will be junior ministers.
The 20-month-old Fadnavis government is running the administration at its two-third strength. After the sudden expulsion of Eknath Khadse over corruption charges last month, an expansion had become inevitable because 10 portfolios handled by him were temporarily with Fadnavis. The government has 14 more berths to fill.