The Cabinet expansion-cum-reshuffle has been stuck over the distribution of portfolios among the three allies - BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP - even as back-to-back meetings between Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his two deputies - Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar - continued on Tuesday.
The delay is because of not being able to reach a consensus on division of the top portfolios.
Even though there was a delay, the BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP alliance asserted that in the 2024 polls, it would win 45 plus Lok Sabha seats and over 200 Assembly seats.
The three-party alliance, which has support of smaller parties and independents, intends to complete the exercise ahead of the monsoon session of Maharashtra legislature, which commences next Monday in Mumbai.
One of the key issues before the alliance is distribution of portfolios to senior NCP ministers Chhagan Bhujbal, who had been a deputy chief minister twice and Dilip Walse-Patil, who is a former Speaker.
"The allotment will happen in some hours. It could be two hours, 20 hours, or 72 hours, we don't know that…But let me assure you it should happen soon,” state Industries Minister and senior Shiv Sena leader Uday Sawant said.
“While Pawar may get finance, creating a balance is getting difficult for the three parties,” informed sources said.
However, Sawant said, “The three leaders know the balance. All the information going out in public is wrong. They will take amicable solutions considering all the leaders and their seniority and abilities. This is only natural that when an ally is increased, we have to give our share. But we are together for the same motto of realising Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of development.”
Reacting to the developments, NCP national spokesperson Clyde Crasto said, “It is not just the MLAs of BJP or Shiv Sena group who will be suffering because their Cabinet berths were snatched when Pawar joined the government. It is also the cadre from both groups that will now be the losers. Losers because the cadre was expecting to be appointed on various government committees but now with the sudden entry of a third faction, many will be left out of the list. These are the same workers who have worked hard for years and were living in hope to gain something.”
According to him, just like some MLAs who are voicing their displeasure, you will find the cadre doing the same and both these factions will have rebels taking birth as trouble is brewing in both camps.