Mumbai: The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP - Ajit Pawar faction) is likely to get more posts in the Centre as well as state cabinet during the forthcoming expansion of both the cabinets, sources have said.
The expansion of both the cabinets is likely to be held sometime next week after the auspicious period, which according to Hindu calendar begins on Ghatasthapana, the sources added.
Cabinet expansion likely on October 15,16
The Ajit Pawar faction of the NCP was inducted in the MahaYuti Government under Shinde on July 2. However, the portfolio allocation couldn't be done for the nine cabinet ministers from the NCP since Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) was insisting on getting more cabinet portfolios. Also, the leadership wanted both the union as well as the state cabinet expansions to coordinate. That couldn't be done due to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign tours back then. Hence, it is likely to be done now, somewhere around October 15 or 16, the sources said.
Jayant Patil to switch sides?
Currently the BJP and the Shiv Sena have 10 ministers in the cabinet each, while the NCP has nine cabinet ministers. A senior NCP leader is expected to join the state government under Shinde and is likely to be inducted in the cabinet immediately. Speculations are rife that Jayant Patil is likely to switch sides from Sharad Pawar to Ajit Pawar and join the state government.
Apart from that one cabinet post, the NCP is also insisting on two MoS portfolios in the state as well as a cabinet portfolio at the Centre.
The Shinde faction of Shiv Sena also is waiting for at least a couple of berths in the union cabinet and in this regard Shinde had a detailed discussion with union home minister Amit Shah, the sources close to development have said.
Will Athawale get a cabinet berth too?
Considering the statutory limit, the state cabinet still has room for a total of 14 berths. The BJP, which is the largest party in the current dispensation in the state, is likely to stake claim on 8 berths while leaving 3 each for the other two coalition partners. The BJP needs 8 posts to pacify party workers. However, the RPI (Athawale) too has started insisting on a berth in the state cabinet. It needs to be seen whether BJP gives them a berth from their own quota.
Heavyweights with the BJP like Mumbai unit chief Ashish Shelar, Dr Sanjay Kute, Praveen Darekar, Ram Shinde, Prasad Lad are some of the forerunners for the possible expansion of the state cabinet. Akola, Amarawati, Bhandara, Wardha, Sangli and Nashik are some of the districts where BJP has good presence, but haven't been represented by the BJP in the state cabinet. Also, None of the BJP MLCs and the women leader from the BJP are in the cabinet. It will be interesting to see how all these equations are balanced by the state BJP leadership during the cabinet expansion. If the party decides to promote the OBC and the Maratha leadership, state BJP Chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule and Ashish Shelar might get a chance.
MLA from Mahad in Raigad district Bharat Gogawale, Sandipan Bhumre and independent MLA Bachchu Kadu are hopeful of the cabinet berth in the state from the Shiv Sena quota.
