Shiv Sena MLA Bharat Gogavale stated on Friday that Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has requested the key Home Ministry from the BJP. He mentioned that the cabinet expansion is expected to take place between December 11 and 16, just ahead of the Winter Session of the Maharashtra legislature in Nagpur starting December 16.
As portfolio negotiations continue, Gogavale confirmed that Shinde’s demand for the Home Ministry has been communicated, likely to Prime Minister Narendra Modi or Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Gogavale further clarified that Shiv Sena is seeking a revision of the portfolios it held in the previous Mahayuti government and hoped that an agreement on the department allocations would be reached within the next couple of days.
In the current setup, BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis, who has returned as Chief Minister, previously held the Home Department as Deputy Chief Minister in the Shinde administration. The ongoing talks are crucial as both Shiv Sena and BJP are working to finalize the portfolio distribution ahead of the new legislative session.
On Thursday, Fadnavis was sworn in as Chief Minister for a third term in a grand ceremony at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan. Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar took their oaths as Deputy Chief Ministers. No other MLAs were sworn in during the ceremony, with top NDA leaders, including Prime Minister Modi, Amit Shah, and JP Nadda, in attendance.
