Devendra Fadnavis responds after criticism over absence of women in new Maharashtra Cabinet

As Eknath Shinde government in Maharashtra expanded his cabinet without inducting any women, opposition and activists have slammed the state government over it.

Reacting to the criticism, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has now said female legislators will be surely inducted into the ministry in the next round of expansion.

Fadnavis said, “There will be women in the next cabinet expansion for sure. Earlier, people were critical of us for delay in the cabinet expansion, but now they have come up with something new.”

The cabinet expansion took place on Tuesday after 41 days of forming the new government in Maharashtra with Eknath Shinde at its helm.

New Cabinet

The new cabinet has 18 new members - nine each of the rebel Shiv Sena group and the BJP - but no woman legislator found a place in his team, inviting criticism from opposition parties and activists. After the expansion, the strength of the Shinde ministry has gone up to 20.

READ | Eknath Shinde expands Maharashtra Cabinet; list of new ministers

Fadnavis says nobody criticised Thackeray on the issue during his tenure

“When Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray-led government had taken oath (in November 2019), there was not a single woman cabinet minister in it. Nobody had then criticized that government,” Fadnavis said.

Thackeray was sworn-in as chief minister in November 2019 along with five ministers from supporting parties the Congress and the NCP. Women members were inducted into the Council of Ministers later.

Asked about the induction of rebel Sena MLA Sanjay Rathod in the new cabinet, Fadnavis said Chief Minister Shinde has already clarified the stand on it and there was no need for further comment.

(With inputs from PTI)