The much-awaited cabinet expansion of the Shinde-Fadnavis government took place on Tuesday with the induction of 18 ministers, nine each from the BJP and the Eknath Shinde camp. In a simple ceremony at the Raj Bhavan, Governor BS Koshyari administered an oath of office and secrecy to the new ministers in the presence of the CM, his deputy Devendra Fadnavis, Leader of Opposition Ajit Pawar, BJP national general secretary Vinod Tawde, union ministers Raosaheb Danve, Kapil Patil and Bhagwat Karad.
The list of new ministers from the BJP include Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, Sudhir Mungantiwar, Chandrakant Patil, Vijaykumar Gavit, Girish Mahajan, Ravindra Chavan, Atul Save, Mangalprabhat Lodha and Suresh Khade. The ministers from the Shinde camp are Gulabrao Patil, Dada Bhuse, Sanjay Rathod, Sandeepan Bhumre, Uday Samant, Abdul Sattar, Deepak Kesarkar, Tanaji Sawant and Shambhuraj Desai.
Sources said Shinde and Fadnavis have tried to strike a regional balance as four each are from north Maharashtra, Marathwada and western Maharashtra, two from Vidarbha, two from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region and two from the Konkan region. Besides, there is representation from the Maratha community, followed by four from OBC, one each from SC, ST and Muslim community.
However, not a single woman or independent candidate has been inducted. Shinde may induct at least three women legislators from his camp and the BJP on August 16, ahead of the monsoon session of the state legislature.
Congratulating the state government, PM Narendra Modi in a tweet said, “This team is a great blend of administrative experience and passion to deliver good governance. My best wishes to them for serving the people of the state.”
The CM said the government is committed to the welfare of the people and the development of the state. “'This is the government of the common man and it will function on the thoughts of Balasaheb Thackeray.”
However, several legislators from both camps expressed serious displeasure for being excluded. Shinde camp legislator Sanjay Shirsat, who was reportedly furious for not being considered, said that he would not tolerate this neglect. He was later pacified by Shinde as the second phase of expansion is expected soon.
Independents Bachhu Kadu and Rajendra Yedravkar also hoped they would find a place in the council in the second round. Kadu, who was minister of state for education in the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, said, “There are ups and downs in politics, but we have been assured ministerial berths in the second round,” he said.
Shinde camp spokesman and newly sworn in minister Hinting at another round, Kesarkar said Tuesday’s was a short cabinet expansion. He said, “Farmers will always be the priority... We will see that the glory of Maharashtra is restored.”
Newly inducted ministers Gulabrao Patil and Uday Samant, in separate comments, said that the government is committed to work for the common man.
Vikhe-Patil alleged that the former government was a “vasooli” (extortion) government but the Shiv Sena-BJP government will transform the state by putting development on fast track.
Mungantiwar said that despite delays in the expansion, a slew of decisions were taken by the Shinde-Fadnavis government, including the restoration of OBC quota and relief to farmers.
Meanwhile, NCP MP Supriya Sule criticised the state government for not inducting any woman legislator. “Women constitute 50 per cent of the country’s population, but it is shocking that not a single woman was given a place in the cabinet. Moreover, statements by ruling party leaders are often not respectful of women,” she said, adding that “PM Narendra Modi says that women empowerment is necessary for the progress of the country. For that, they should not only be homemakers but nation builders”.
Shiv Sena leader and former Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar and former minister and Congress legislator Yashomati Thakur said it shows the mindset of the government.
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