Maharashtra: Cabinet expansion soon, says Chief Minister Eknath Shinde

In a major political development, Ajit Pawar, who rebelled against his uncle and NCP supremo Sharad Pawar, joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government on July 2. Eight other expelled NCP MLAs also were sworn-in. While the rebelled NCP leaders are yet to get portfolios, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde

Mumbai (Maharashtra): Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has said that the state cabinet will be expanded soon. State Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his counter Ajit Pawar, who orchestrated a coup in the Nationalist Congress Party, met CM Shinde at his official residence 'Varsha' in south Mumbai late Tuesday night.

In a major political development, Ajit Pawar, who rebelled against his uncle and NCP supremo Sharad Pawar, joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government on July 2. Eight other now expelled NCP MLAs including Chhagan Bhujbal, Hasan Mushrif, Dhananjay Munde, Aditi Tatkare, Anil Patil, and Dilip Walse Patil were sworn in as Ministers. However, the rebelled NCP leaders are yet to get portfolios.

"The cabinet will be expanded soon," Shinde told reporters after his meeting with the two Deputy Chief Ministers. Meanwhile, Shinde also reacted to Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) chief Uddhav Thackeray's taint remarks Devendra Fadnavis. Chief Minister Shinde said Thackeray has lost his right to speak as he had compromised Balasaheb Thackeray’s ideology for power.

"Uddhav Thackeray's comment on Devendra Fadnavis is condemnable. He (Uddhav Thackeray) in 2019 abandoned the ideas of Balasaheb Thackeray, forgot everything in the greed of the chair, what right does he have to speak about Devendra Fadnavis?,” added Eknath Shinde.

On Monday, Uddhav Thackeray lashed out at Fadnavis by calling him a "taint" on Nagpur since he joined hands with the Ajit Pawar faction of the NCP though he had earlier promised never to do so.