Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar assured on Sunday that the ruling Mahayuti alliance would provide opportunities for other legislators, who were not included in the current cabinet, to serve as ministers during the tenure of this government. Speaking to his party workers in Nagpur ahead of the cabinet expansion, Pawar stated, “We will allow others also for two-and-a-half years.”
Pawar, a leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), acknowledged that while everyone desires a ministerial post and deserves a chance, the number of available ministerial positions is limited. His comments came as the 10-day-old BJP-led Mahayuti government in Maharashtra expanded its cabinet by inducting 39 new ministers, bringing the total number of ministers in the state government to 42.
In this expansion, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured 19 ministerial posts, followed by 11 for the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and 9 for the NCP, which Pawar leads. However, some prominent figures from the NCP, including Chhagan Bhujbal and Dilip Walse Patil, as well as BJP's Sudhir Mungantiwar, were left out of the ministry.
The new cabinet includes 33 cabinet ministers and six ministers of state. With the council of ministers in Maharashtra having a maximum limit of 43 members, including the Chief Minister, the state now has nearly reached that limit.
In the recent Maharashtra assembly elections on November 20, the Mahayuti alliance emerged victorious, winning 230 out of 288 seats. The BJP led with 132 seats, followed by Shinde's Shiv Sena with 57 and Pawar's NCP with 41.
Pawar emphasised that while the number of ministerial berths is restricted, his party aims to offer opportunities to as many legislators as possible throughout the five-year government tenure. “During the previous tenure of the Mahayuti government, some legislators had the chance to serve as ministers for one-and-a-half years. This time, we have decided that many legislators will get a chance to serve as ministers for two-and-a-half years. This will ensure representation from various regions and districts,” Pawar stated.
The cabinet expansion took place just before the winter session of the state legislature, which is set to begin in Nagpur on Monday, Maharashtra’s second capital. The session is expected to witness discussions on several key state issues, with the expanded cabinet in place to address the challenges ahead.
