Nearly three weeks after the Maharashtra assembly elections, the ruling Mahayuti alliance has yet to finalize the distribution of cabinet portfolios among its three partners — BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP. Despite the BJP’s victory in securing a majority, the coalition has been struggling to agree on key positions, prompting Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Thursday.
The meeting comes amid ongoing tensions and disagreements within the alliance, particularly over the allocation of key ministries. Fadnavis and his deputy, Ajit Pawar, had a previous meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP President JP Nadda on Wednesday night to resolve the issue. However, despite these talks, disputes over certain departments remain unresolved, leading to Fadnavis’s visit to Delhi for further discussions. Notably, Eknath Shinde, the Shiv Sena leader, chose not to join the trip, raising questions about his stance in the ongoing discussions.
Sources indicate that Fadnavis, Shinde, and Ajit Pawar had initially agreed on a distribution of 22 ministerial posts for the BJP, 11 for Shiv Sena, and 10 for NCP, with the total number of cabinet positions in the state capped at 43, including the Chief Minister’s post. However, the allocation may still change, as both Shiv Sena and NCP may demand additional positions. In such a case, less significant portfolios are expected to be assigned to these parties, while crucial ministries like home and revenue are likely to remain under BJP control. Although Shinde had pushed for the home department, he has been allocated urban development, while the finance portfolio is set to go to the NCP.
The cabinet portfolio deadlock comes after a long period of political negotiations. Initially, there was tension over leadership roles, with the Shiv Sena insisting that the victory was achieved under Shinde’s leadership and pushing for him to remain as Chief Minister. However, the BJP stood firm on making Fadnavis the CM. Despite the power struggle, Shinde ultimately accepted the deputy CM position on December 5, but his absence from crucial meetings has raised eyebrows.
As the situation develops, it remains unclear whether Shinde will engage directly in discussions in Delhi or if the cabinet division will be finalized without his full involvement.
