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Maharashtra Cabinet Expansion Triggers Discontent Among Allies
Team Finance Saathi
17/Dec/2024
What's covered under the Article:
- Discontent rises in Maharashtra's ruling Mahayuti alliance after 39 ministers take oath.
- NCP leaders, including Chhagan Bhujbal, express frustration over exclusion from Fadnavis' cabinet.
- Former ministers Sudhir Mungantiwar and Shiv Sena leaders voice displeasure with the reshuffle.
The recent expansion of the Maharashtra Cabinet under the leadership of Devendra Fadnavis has triggered significant resentment among several former ministers and lawmakers from the ruling Mahayuti alliance. The ceremony, which took place on December 15, 2024, saw 39 new ministers being inducted, just a day before the winter session of the state legislature began. Despite the large number of ministers, the reshuffle has caused dissatisfaction within the alliance, comprising the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Shiv Sena, and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
Among the discontented leaders is Chhagan Bhujbal, a senior NCP leader, who expressed his unhappiness at being excluded from the Cabinet. Bhujbal, known for his vocal support for the OBC community, suggested that his exclusion might be a consequence of his stance on the community. He admitted feeling "unhappy" about not being inducted but emphasized that he did not feel the need for further discussions with NCP chief Ajit Pawar on the matter. Bhujbal also revealed that just days prior to the Cabinet expansion, he was asked if he would be interested in moving to the Rajya Sabha, but he declined, feeling it would be a betrayal to the voters of his constituency.
The reshuffle saw 11 key ministers from the Mahayuti alliance being dropped. Among those excluded were several prominent figures from the NCP, including Bhujbal, Dharmarao Baba Atram, Sanjay Bansode, Dilip Walse Patil, and Anil Patil. From the BJP, ministers Ravindra Chavan, Sudhir Mungantiwar, and Vijaykumar Gavit were also left out, while the Shiv Sena saw the exclusion of Tanaji Sawant, Abdul Sattar, and Deepak Kesarkar.
The reshuffle has sparked further tensions, especially with Sudhir Mungantiwar, a former BJP minister, contradicting CM Fadnavis' claim that his exclusion was the result of a "long discussion." Mungantiwar revealed that Fadnavis and state BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule had informed him that his name was on the list of ministers the day before the Cabinet expansion, only for it to turn out otherwise. Mungantiwar expressed his frustration, highlighting the lack of communication regarding his exclusion.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena lawmaker Rajendra Gavit, a tribal leader, voiced his displeasure at the fact that no tribal representatives from the party were included in the new Cabinet, despite the party having multiple tribal MLAs. Vijay Shivtare, another Shiv Sena MLA, echoed similar sentiments, stating he was "not sad" about missing out on ministerial posts, but felt disappointed by the manner in which he was treated by the party leadership.
Despite the discontent, the BJP, which secured 132 seats in the assembly elections, was allotted the largest share of Cabinet positions, with 16 Cabinet ministers and three Ministers of State (MoS). The Shiv Sena received nine Cabinet ministers and two MoS, while the NCP was given eight Cabinet ministers and one MoS.
The swearing-in ceremony, which took place at Raj Bhavan in Nagpur, was a historic event, marking the first such ceremony in the city in 33 years since the expansion of the Sudhakarrao Naik cabinet in 1991. While the ceremony was a grand affair, the expansion has clearly created rifts within the ruling alliance, with many leaders voicing their frustration over their exclusion and the lack of clarity regarding the decision-making process.
The Cabinet reshuffle and the growing discontent within the Mahayuti alliance underscore the complexities of coalition politics in Maharashtra, as internal disagreements continue to simmer despite the ongoing governance.