Ahead of the winter assembly session, while Bharatiya Janata party faces the choice between fresh faces and veterans, partner Shiv Sena does not seem to be too happy with just two ministerial berths. At the same time, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has assured of Cabinet expansion by December 1.
The winter session is scheduled to commence on December 7 and end on December 23. All the government offices will be shifted to Nagpur in the first week of December for the purpose.
BJP seems to be divided in two camps regarding the probable candidates for ministerial berths. A section is of the view that veterans such as Chainsukh Sancheti and Pandurang Fundkar should be inducted, while the chief minister and some others are believed to be in favour of youngsters such as Dr Sanjay Kute and Jaikumar Raval.
According to the sources, Sena might go for Dr Neelam Gorhe, Arjun Khotkar and Gulabrao Patil. Sources said the party wants either a third minister in the cabinet expansion or one cabinet Minister out of two to be inducted in the ensuing expansion. It is likely that Dr Gorhe would get to the cabinet and Khotkar is preferred over Patil.
As far as the other alliance partners are concerned, it is likely that Swabhimani Paksha president Sadabhau Khot could get to the cabinet and might become a member of the legislative council (MLC). The tenure of eight sitting MLCs is coming to an end on January 1, and the government will have to make some arrangements to bring a Swabhimani Paksha representative to the House.
Rashtriya Samaj Paksha has its president, MLC Mahadev Jankar, as the sole member in the legislature. Shiv Sangram leader Vinayak Mete is also an MLC. The Republican Party of India, led by Rajya Sabha MP Ramdas Athavale, does not have a leader in Maharashtra legislature. Athavale might chose veteran leader Avinash Mahatekar for the ministerial berth.
