A senior BJP minister confirmed that the party had deferred cabinet expansion that was expected to take place before the monsoon session of the legislature
Coalition worries, the possibility of legislators from the opposition Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) shifting allegiance to it and the tough contest on the cards for the presidential polls due in July have made the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) postpone cabinet expansion in the state.
A senior BJP minister confirmed that the party had deferred cabinet expansion that was expected to take place before the monsoon session of the legislature. He added they would decide on filling up the four vacant positions in the Council of Ministers and replacing some incumbent faces with fresh ones only after the presidential polls are through. This, he said, is being done to avoid unrest in those who may be dropped or aspirants who may be left out.
"A section of Congress-NCP legislators are eager to join the BJP and some of these heavyweights want a share in power. Filling up all the four vacant posts in the cabinet will serve as a dampner, and some may have second thoughts on the move," the minister said, adding that the BJP needed to shore up its numbers as it was short of the halfway mark in the 288-member House.
The BJP has 122 seats in the Assembly followed by the Shiv Sena (63), Congress (42), NCP (41), Peasants and Workers Party (4), All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (2), Samajwadi Party (1), and BJP ally Rashtriya Samaj Paksha (1). The rest include independents and smaller parties.
The BJP leader noted that the Shiv Sena, which has 12 ministers in the Devendra Fadnavis-led government, had chosen to adopt the strategy of staying in power but taking over the role of the Opposition.
"Though it is unclear if the Shiv Sena will pull the plug on the government, we cannot rely on them to push through important legislations such as the state Goods and Services Tax (SGST). They may get us into a tough spot if they join hands with the Opposition," the minister said, adding that hence, the BJP was eager to get legislators from the Congress and NCP in its ranks.
"However, after the presidential polls, there may be large-scale changes in the state cabinet," he said, adding that the party's central leadership would also decide on inducting senior Congress leader Narayan Rane. This decision had been deferred for reasons including the BJP's reluctance to antagonise the Shiv Sena.
Noting that the Niti Aayog had suggested a syncronised two-phase Lok Sabha and Assembly polls from 2024, which would require a curtailment or extension of some state assemblies, the minister said the party was likely to consider the possibility of mid-term polls late this year. This would enable the BJP to emerge with a stronger mandate and allow it to rule Maharashtra for five years before the simultaneous elections took place.
The Niti Aayog has made the Election Commission the nodal agency to consider the suggestion and suggested establishing a working group of stakeholders for laying down a road-map.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "DNA")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}