Maharashtra cabinet expansion likely on December 11 or 12, say sources

Devendra Fadnavis. File Pic

The Maharashtra cabinet expansion of the Devendra Fadnavis-led Maharashtra government is likely to take place on December 11 or 12, sources said on Friday, reported the PTI.

In all likelihood, the Ajit Pawar-led NCP will retain Finance and the BJP the Home department as in the previous Eknath Shinde-led government, sources told PTI.

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The Shinde-led Shiv Sena will retain Urban Development and may also get Revenue, if Sena sources are to be believed.

A cabinet in Maharashtra can have a maximum of 43 ministers including the chief minister.

The BJP, the biggest constituent of the Mahayuti alliance, is expected to get 21-22 ministerial posts. The Shiv Sena could get 11 to 12 ministerial berths and NCP nine to 10 berths, the sources said, according to the PTI.

The final decision on the number of ministers who would take oath will be taken in a day or two, said a senior BJP leader.

The newly-elected MLAs will be administered oath by pro-tem Speaker Kalidas Kolambkar at a three-day special session of the assembly that starts from Saturday.

The Speaker's election will take place on December 9 (Monday), followed by the trust vote of the new government and the Governor's address to the joint session of both Houses.

The winter session of the legislature will start in Nagpur, the state's second capital, from December 16.

Meanwhile, ahead of the cabinet expansion, BJP MLA Kalidas Kolambkar will take oath as the pro-tem Speaker of the Maharashtra legislative assembly on Friday, a day before the special three-day session of the Lower House of the state legislature begins.

Talking to PTI, Kolambkar, a nine-time MLA, confirmed that he will take oath as the pro-tem speaker at 1 pm at the Raj Bhavan.

Governor C P Radhakrishnan will administer the oath to him, he said.

Kolambkar currently represents the Wadala assembly constituency in Mumbai.

As pro-tem speaker, he will administer the oath of office to 288 newly-elected MLAs, conduct the assembly speaker's election during the three-day special session of the 15th assembly beginning December 7.

The speaker's election will be held on December 9 followed by a trust vote of the Devendra Fadnavis-led Mahayuti government.

Fadnavis on Thursday evening took oath as the state chief minister, while leaders of the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance, Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, were sworn in as deputy chief ministers at a grand ceremony in south Mumbai's sprawling Azad Maidan.

(with PTI inputs)