Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Raosaheb Danve on Wednesday held day-long meetings at his official New Delhi residence with disgruntled Mahayuti allies to pacify them over the delayed Cabinet e
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Raosaheb Danve on Wednesday held day-long meetings at his official New Delhi residence with disgruntled Mahayuti allies to pacify them over the delayed Cabinet expansion and political appointments to state-run corporations. However, the final call on expansion of the Maharashtra Cabinet would be taken by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis Mahayuti leaders —Republican Party of India (Athavale faction) leader, MP Ramdas Athavale; Rashtriya Samaj Paksha MLC, Mahadev Jankar; Shiv Sangram leader and MLC, Vinayak Mete; and Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana (SSS) leader and MP, Raju Shetti.
Sources said that despite these meetings, it would be Mr Fadnavis who would decide who among these allies would be inducted and who would be allotted state-run corporations. They said that in the process of Cabinet expansion, for which Mr Fadnavis had secured a go-ahead from the central leadership, he was likely to drop some senior and junior ministers whose performance had not been up to the mark. Readers may recall that the chief minister had recently indicated that he would evaluate performance of BJP ministers before going ahead with the Cabinet expansion.
Sources added that Mr Fadnavis was likely to expand his Cabinet later this month or before the monsoon session of the state legislature, which is slated to be held in July.
Earlier this week, RPI-A leader, Avinash Mahatekar, who is tipped to be inducted into the state Cabinet, told newspersons that RPI-A had demanded a 50 per cent share in power and allotment of at least four state-run corporations. However, the BJP leadership had indicated that all four Mahayuti allies would be allocated not more than two state-run corporations between them.
Sources further said that since Mr Mete had already been made chairman of the Shiv Smarak Samiti, a Cabinet rank post, he or his faction were unlikely to be accommodated in the expanded Cabinet. Although Mr Mahatekar and SSS faction leader, Sadabhau Khot, are tipped to be inducted into the state Cabinet, both would have to be accommodated in the list of candidates for legislative council elections for 10 vacancies from the “elected by MLAs” constituency due to be held in July next.
Both Mr Mahatekar and Mr Khot are not members of either House of the state legislature and to retain their Cabinet berths, would have to be elected within six months of taking oath as ministers.
Sources said that this was also one of the issues discussed during the meeting with Mr Danve.
