Mumbai The decision on the expansion of Maharashtra Cabinet is almost final. The new ministers will take oath of office on December 15. The program will be organized in Nagpur. Preparations have almost been completed. It is being told that BJP has prepared the list of its ministerial candidates but there are at least three to four names which require the approval of the central leadership.
NCP and Shiv Sena will also finalize the names by night. It is being said that the names of the ministers will come out shortly before the swearing-in on Sunday as they have been kept secret. Cabinet expansion is likely to take place in Nagpur on Sunday, a day before the start of the winter session of the Maharashtra Legislature. The reason behind transferring the venue from Mumbai to Nagpur has also come to light.
On the other hand, it is being said that this has been done in view of the inordinate delay in finalizing the ministerial candidates and allocation of portfolios among the Mahayuti alliance partners, BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP. The assembly session in Nagpur is from Monday. In such a situation, if the cabinet expansion had been organized in Mumbai on Sunday, it would have caused huge inconvenience to the Mahayuti MLAs.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena president and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at his official residence Sagar late on Friday night to discuss and resolve differences regarding cabinet expansion. BJP has prepared the list of its ministerial candidates, but there are at least three to four names which require the approval of the central leadership.
