Amid delay in expansion of the Maharashtra Cabinet, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis have invited Opposition’s criticism. Ever since the collapse of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, the two leaders have been serving as a “two-member” cabinet in Maharashtra.
While the Shinde government is likely to announce its first cabinet expansion this week, Dy CM and senior Maharashtra BJP leader Fadnavis has hit out at the critics, particularly at leader of the Opposition and former Dy CM Ajit Pawar of NCP with a subtle comeback.
“Ajit Pawar is leader of the opposition. He will have to say such things. Ajit dada conveniently forgets that when he was in the government there were just five ministers for the first 32 days," the Dy CM countered on Sunday.
On repeated questions about cabinet expansion, he told reporters that the exercise will take place “before you can even imagine”.
At least 15 members are likely to be sworn in when the expansion takes place. Fadnavis is expected to keep the crucial Home ministry portfolio, it was reported. The expansion should happen before August 15, sources said.
Earlier on Saturday, CM Shinde assured that delay in expansion had not affected the state government’s functioning.
"The work of the government has not been affected in any way. The decision making process has not been affected. I and the deputy chief minister have been taking decisions and there is no impact on the working of the government,” Shinde said.
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(With inputs from PTI)
