After weeks of hectic parleys over the Chief Minister chair and then the ‘who-gets-what-ministry’, the new BJP-led government in Maharashtra is all set to expand its Cabinet today. The BJP, which holds the highest share of Cabinet berths, will likely induct 19 MLAs, including three women leaders, sources said.

The list of probable BJP leaders are:

Pankaja Munde

Meghna Bordikar

Madhuri Misal

Chandrashekhar Bawankule

Nitesh Rane

Shivendra Raje Bhosle

Chandrakant Patil

Pankaj Bhoir

Mangal Prabhat Lodha

Girish Mahajan

Jayakumar Rawal

Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil

Ganesh Naik

Atul Save

Aakash Fundkar

Ashok Uike

Jayakumar More

Sanjay Savkare

Ashish Shelar

According to sources, Maharashtra may have 40 ministers in its new Cabinet, with 50 per cent of new and young faces likely to be inducted. The council of ministers in the state can have a maximum of 43 members, including the Chief Minister.

While former Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena may get around 12 Cabinet seats, Ajit Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) may get 10 seats, sources. At least six new leaders from the Shiv Sena are likely to take oath as ministers – Pratap Sarnaik, Prakash Abitkar, Sharat Gogavale, Yogesh Kadam, Ashish Jaiswal, and Sanjay Shirsat.

Mr Shinde’s Sena faction is believed to want the Home portfolio, which was previously held by Devendra Fadnavis. However, the BJP is unlikely to give it up and keep it to themselves, sources said. The Sena may be offered Urban Development, Public Works Department, and Revenue.

The Cabinet expansion will take place today at 4 pm in Nagpur.

In the November 20 assembly elections, the Mahayuti won 230 out of 288 seats in the state. While the BJP secured 132 seats, the Sena bagged 57 and NCP got 41 seats. On December 5, Devendra Fadnavis took oath as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra with former Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and NCP leader Ajit Pawar as his deputies.

The Mahayuti alliance had also come under fire from the opposition for not naming its Cabinet for weeks despite having an overwhelming majority.

Ahead of the Cabinet expansion, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis held a roadshow in Nagpur. He was accompanied by his wife Amruta Fadnavis and state BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule.

“Nagpur city is my family and my family is welcoming me,” he said during the roadshow.

Washington:

 The prospects of senior leader Eknath Khadse’s return to the BJP appeared dim on Tuesday after he stated that he was never keen to join the party again, and also claimed that Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis could be stalling his re-induction.

Speculation about the former BJP leader, currently with the Sharad Pawar-led NCP, returning to the saffron party intensified after the BJP renominated his daughter-in-law Raksha Khadse as Lok Sabha candidate, and made her a Union Minister of State after she won.

But there has been no announcement from the BJP yet on his reinduction despite Mr Khadse expressing willingness earlier this year. Speaking to a regional news channel on Tuesday, Mr Khadse said, “I was not keen on returning to the BJP fold, but senior leaders of the party insisted on it. When I met BJP president J P Nadda, he felicitated me with a scarf, and declared that I had become part of the BJP.” Asked who could be coming in the way his joining the BJP, Khadse said, “It could be Devendra Fadnavis and Girish Mahajan.” Asked for his reaction, Mr Mahajan, Eknath Khadse’s local BJP rival in Jalgaon district who is considered to be close to Fadnavis, said, “He wants all the parties and posts shared with his family members. His daughter-in-law is a Union minister, but he intends to field his daughter in the assembly election from NCP (SP). If the opposition MVA forms the government, Mr Khadse would want her to be made a minister.

“He has been a public representative for over 30 years and still wants more,” Mr Mahajan added, indicating that the two had not buried their hatchet.

Eknath Khadse joined the undivided Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in October 2023 after quitting the BJP. He had then accused Mr Fadnavis of trying to destroy his political career.

A week ago, Raksha Khadse had said if Eknath Khadse and Girish Mahajan buried their hatchet, it would help in the development of Jalgaon.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)