Fadnavis to expand cabinet on Friday with induction of 10

Despite CM's refusal to give one more cabinet rank, Shiv Sena agrees to join swearing-in ceremony as extra cabinet rank was rejected. However, BJP has assured to induct two ministers of state of Sena,

The Maharashtra cabinet will be expanded on Friday, with the induction of 10 members of the state legislature. Shiv Sena, which was sidelined during the recent reshuffle of the Union council of ministers, on Thursday late evening agreed to join the swearing-in function. This is despite chief minister Devendra Fadnavis’s (pictured) refusal to accept Shiv Sena's demand for giving one more cabinet rank in the expansion.

While  BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) legislators  Pandurang Phundkar and Subhash Deshmukh will be sworn in as cabinet ministers, four others will be ministers of state. BJP has agreed to give home portfolio to Shiv Sena's minister of state.

Of the 10 members, six will be from BJP, two from Shiv Sena and one each from BJP's other allies Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghtana (SSS) and Rashtriya Samaj Party (RSP). This is the first expansion being carried out by Fadnavis after Shiv Sena joined the government in December 2014.

The list of BJP members include former leader of the opposition Pandurang Phundkar (Akola), Subhash Deshmukh (Solapur south), Madan Yerawar (Yavatmal), Jaikumar Rawal (Sindhkhed), Ravindra Chavan (Dombivli), and Sambhaji Patil-Nilangekar (Nilanga).

While Phundkar will be inducted as the cabinet minister others will be sworn in as the ministers of state.

BJP has attempted to give more representation to Vidarbha, Marathwada, north Maharashtra and western Maharashtra. However, the party did not consider anyone from Mumbai where the election to the civic body is slated for 2017.

Shiv Sena has nominated senior legislators Arjun Khotkar (Jalna) and Gulabrao Patil (Jalgaon rural) for ministerial berth. Both are firebrand leaders who since the formation of Fadnavis led government had been quite vocal to take issues concerning farmers'plight, government's apathy towards drought hit regions.

This apart, SSS legislator Sadabhau Khot and RSP founder and legislator Mahadev Jankar will also be inducted.

Earlier,  Fadnavis held an hour -long meeting in the afternoon with the Sena ministers Divakar Raote and Subhash Desai on Friday's expansion.

BJP sources told Business Standard: ''Shiv Sena was quite eager to get one cabinet rank and two ministers of state. However, it was turned down by the BJP leadership.''

Subsequently, Shiv Sena ministers held meeting with party president Uddhav Thackeray on whether or not to take part in the expansion. However, Uddhav, who enjoys good rapport with Fadnavis, gave his consent to join the expansion. He also cleared names of Khotkar and Patil for induction in the council of ministers.