Maharashtra Cabinet Expansion: 39 MLAs Sworn In, BJP Retains Dominance
The Maharashtra government expanded its cabinet on Sunday with 39 MLAs being sworn in during a ceremony in Nagpur. Out of these, 33 were inducted as Cabinet ministers, while six took oath as ministers of state.
This expansion was a significant milestone for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Mahayuti coalition government, which came into power earlier this month.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who assumed office on December 5, is expected to retain the crucial Home portfolio.
Eknath Shinde from the Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) continue to serve as deputy chief ministers.
Distribution of Cabinet Roles
In the new cabinet, the BJP secured 19 ministerial berths, affirming its dominance.
The Shiv Sena received 11 positions, while the NCP managed nine. Among the ministers of state, the BJP held three positions, followed by the Shiv Sena with two and the NCP with one.
The portfolio allocation is anticipated to mirror the previous Mahayuti government’s distribution.
The BJP is likely to retain important departments such as revenue, education, power, and irrigation, while the NCP is expected to oversee finance, cooperatives, agriculture, and sports.
Full List of Ministers in Maharashtra Cabinet
BJP Ministers (19):
- Chandrashekar Bawankule
- Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil
- Chandrakant Patil
- Girish Mahajan
- Ganesh Naik
- Mangal Prabhat Lodha
- Jaykumar Rawal
- Pankaja Munde
- Atul Save
- Ashok Ramaji Wooike
- Ashish Shelar
- Shivendra Raje Bhosale
- Jaykumar Gore
- Sanjay Savkare
- Nitesh Rane
- Akash Pandurang Fundkar
- Madhuri Misal
- Meghana Bordikar
- Pankaj Bhoyar
Shiv Sena Ministers (11):
- Uday Samant
- Dada Bhuse
- Sambhuraj Desai
- Sanjay Rathod
- Gulabrao Patil
- Bharat Gogawale
- Pratap Sarnaik
- Prakash Abitkar
- Ashish Jaiswal
- Sanjay Shirsat
- Yogesh Kadam
NCP Ministers (9):
- Hasan Mushrif
- Dhananjay Munde
- Aditi Tatkare
- Narhari Zirwal
- Dattatray Bharne
- Makarand Patil
- Babasaheb Patil
- Indraneel Naik
- Manikrao Kokate
Reactions from Leaders
Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde congratulated the new ministers from his party, expressing confidence in their commitment to public welfare.
In a post on social media, he remarked, “I am fully confident that every Shiv Sena minister will remain committed to fulfilling the hopes and expectations of the common man of the state.”
Similarly, Ajit Pawar of the NCP reassured party members that those excluded from the Cabinet would still get opportunities.
He stated, “We will give an opportunity to others also for two-and-a-half years.” This statement aimed to pacify disgruntled members upset over their exclusion.
Concerns from Excluded MLAs
Despite the optimism expressed by the leadership, the Cabinet expansion left several MLAs disappointed.
Union Minister Ramdas Athawale, representing the Republican Party of India (A), criticized the Mahayuti government for failing to allocate a ministry to his party despite prior assurances.
Narendra Bhondekar, an MLA from Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena faction, also expressed dissatisfaction by resigning from his party position.
Although Bhondekar retained his assembly seat, he voiced concerns about the lack of representation for Vidarbha, where the Mahayuti alliance had secured significant electoral victories.
Addressing these concerns, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced that portfolios would be assigned to the new ministers within two to three days.
He also highlighted plans for a “performance audit” to evaluate the effectiveness of ministers during their tenure.
Cabinet Expansion: The Path Forward
The newly expanded cabinet brings the total number of ministers in the Maharashtra government to 42, just one short of the constitutional limit of 43.
The delay in finalizing the expansion reportedly stemmed from prolonged discussions over portfolio allocation among Mahayuti allies.
The BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP appear to have resolved these differences, but the exclusion of some prominent leaders has sparked discontent.
Among those notably absent from the new Cabinet are NCP leaders Chhagan Bhujbal and Dilip Walse Patil, as well as BJP’s Sudhir Mungantiwar.
While the Mahayuti coalition has made progress in strengthening its administration, managing internal dissent and maintaining unity will remain crucial challenges in the months ahead.
