Mumbai : The expansion of the Eknath Shinde cabinet is also possible amid the ‘uncle-nephew’ war in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in Maharashtra. Cabinet expansion in Maharashtra has become necessary after NCP chief Sharad Pawar’s nephew Ajit Pawar rebelled and joined hands with the BJP. When asked about this, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said on Monday that the expansion of the cabinet will happen soon. However, the MLAs of Shiv Sena’s Shinde faction have already announced that the old ministers included in the government should be removed and new people included in the cabinet. The MLAs of the Shinde faction met last Saturday and gave an ultimatum to the party that if their MLAs do not get the place of cabinet minister in the cabinet, then the ministers made by their party for the last one year should be replaced by new MLAs.
BJP can surprise once again
However, it is being said in media reports that the BJP has once again started preparing to surprise everyone regarding the expansion of the cabinet in Maharashtra. It is being told that after rebelling against NCP, BJP has surprised Ajit Pawar and his supporting MLAs by swearing in the post of minister, similarly it can do something similar in the expansion of the cabinet. It is being told in media reports quoting sources that the BJP can clear the cards of its four old ministers and give a chance to new faces. The party is mulling over the removal of those four people from the cabinet, whose report of poor performance has been submitted to the party high command. One of these ministers is said to be from Mumbai, one from North Maharashtra and two from West Maharashtra.
BJP high command will decide from Delhi
It is being told in the news that a decision can be taken on the cabinet in Maharashtra within the next one week. In the expansion of the cabinet, some portfolios can be distributed to the MLAs of Ajit Pawar faction. Only the BJP high command from Delhi can decide on the matter of including the MLAs of Ajit Pawar faction in the Maharashtra cabinet. It is being told that Ajit Pawar himself wants to get the finance ministry. However, the MLAs of Eknathi Shiv Sevna have objection to his demand.
Monsoon session likely to start from July 17
According to media reports, the monsoon session of the Legislative Assembly is to begin in Maharashtra from July 17. It is also a challenge for the ruling parties to expand the cabinet before the start of the monsoon session. The reason for this is that it has not yet been decided in the NCP itself that out of the 53 MLAs of the party, who will be with Sharad Pawar and who will be with the Ajit group. Although, Ajit Pawar needs at least 36 MLAs to avoid disqualification, but the political developments are changing so fast that if any MLA of Sharad Pawar goes to Ajit faction, then MLAs break away from Ajit faction and become Sharad Pawar. Joining the ranks. In such a situation, it has not yet been decided that which MLA of NCP will remain in Ajit’s group and who will be in Sharad Pawar’s group.