MUMBAI: Cabinet expansion in the Shinde-Fadnavis government will be sooner than expected, said deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday, during an OBC (Other Backward Communities) conference in Delhi. Sources said the exercise will be carried out before August 15.
Shinde and Fadnavis were sworn in as chief minister and deputy chief minister, respectively, on June 30 after Uddhav Thackeray resigned due to a rebellion in the Shiv Sena ranks. Since then, the duo has been functioning as a two-member cabinet, inviting criticism from opposition leaders.
Asked by the media if the delay in the cabinet expansion was on account of the Supreme Court hearing on the numerous petitions filed by the Thackeray and Shinde fa-ctions, Fadnavis said: "There is no connection between the hearing and cabinet expansion. It will be earlier than you expect.
The BJP has been demanding all prime portfolios held by Congress and NCP which include home, irrigation, public works and housing, and has been telling the Shinde faction to take those held by the Shiv Sena in the Maha Vikas Aghadi government.
The BJP, Fadnavis said, in the last six months has concentrated on increasing its presence in Maharashtra and focused on the 16 Lok Sabha constituencies, which have been consistently won by other political parties, including that represented by Shinde's son Shrikant.
"Even if we are working on strengthening the BJP in these 16 constituencies we shall use our strength to ensure the victory of the Sena candidates who have now joined us. The 16 also include Baramati as in the past elections we have good votes. Central leaders have been made in-charge of these constituencies. Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman has been given Baramati, and she will be visiting in September," he said.
On OBC reservations, Fadnavis said the state government will approach the SC for clarification as 92 urban local bodies, where polls have already been announced, will not be able to ensure quota for the community. During his tenure as CM, Fadnavis said, he had ensured 21 of the 22 decisions were implemented for the welfare of the community. On the gram panchayat results, he said BJP's performance was most satisfying having won the highest number of seats and the Shinde-led Sena the second highest. "This is an indication that the people approve of our alliance," Fadnavis said.
