Maharashtra CM holds Nagpur roadshow ahead of cabinet expansion

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In the lead-up to the much-anticipated Cabinet expansion in Maharashtra, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis held a grand roadshow in Nagpur on Sunday. Accompanied by his wife Amruta Fadnavis and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule, the Chief Minister greeted an enthusiastic crowd, underscoring his close connection to the city.

"Nagpur city is my family, and my family is welcoming me," Fadnavis remarked during the roadshow, expressing his gratitude towards the people for their unwavering support.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar also arrived in Nagpur, ahead of the first Cabinet meeting of the BJP-led State government and the official expansion ceremony.

Shiv Sena MLA Bharatshet Gogawale confirmed that the swearing-in ceremony is scheduled to take place at 4 pm on Sunday. According to Gogawale, twelve MLAs from the Shiv Sena, including himself, will be sworn in as ministers. Of these, seven are new inductees, while five are being retained from the previous team.

"Oath ceremony will take place at 4 pm today. Seven people are new faces, and five are being repeated," Gogawale said, as per ANI.

BJP MLA Girish Mahajan expressed his elation upon being selected as a minister. "State BJP Chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule called me and informed me about my selection. This will be my third time taking oath as a Maharashtra Minister. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the party," Mahajan stated, as per ANI reports.

BJP national secretary Pankaja Munde also expressed her gratitude for being included in the new team. "I am delighted to be given this opportunity to work once again in the team of CM Devendra Fadnavis. I am thankful to PM Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, JP Nadda, and the party leadership," Munde said.

However, not all leaders received a confirmation call. BJP MLA Shivendra Raje Bhosale revealed that he had not been contacted by the party leadership. "I have not received any phone call yet. Workers in the constituency have their expectations, but we will abide by the Chief Minister's decision," Bhosale told ANI.

Similarly, Shiv Sena MLA Uday Samant said he was yet to receive a call. "All those chosen by Eknath Shinde will handle their responsibilities well. Those who are selected will take the oath," he added.

The Cabinet expansion comes over two weeks after Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his two deputies, Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, were sworn in on December 5. The delay had drawn criticism from the opposition, despite the ruling alliance holding an overwhelming majority.

The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance secured a landslide victory in the Maharashtra Assembly Election 2024, winning 235 out of 288 seats. The BJP emerged as the largest party with 132 seats, while the Shiv Sena and NCP gained 57 and 41 seats, respectively.

As per ANI reports, the expansion reflects the coalition's efforts to balance responsibilities among its members, amidst high expectations from the alliance's decisive mandate.

(With inputs from ANI)