Maharashtra cabinet expansion: Ajit Pawar's message to NCP legislators not getting ministerial berths

Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar on Sunday said those Mahayuti legislators who failed to get a ministerial berth in the Devendra Fadnavis cabinet, will get a chance in this tenure.

"We will give an opportunity to others also for two-and-a-half years," PTI quoted Pawar as saying at a gathering of his party workers in Nagpur before the cabinet expansion.

“Everybody wants to become a minister and deserves an opportunity, but the ministerial berths are limited,” the NCP leader pointed out.

On Sunday, 39 ministers were sworn in during the Mahayuti cabinet's expansion in Nagpur, taking the strength to 42.

"Everyone feels like getting an opportunity to be become minister. However, the ministerial berths remain limited while everyone deserves a chance," Pawar said.

“During the previous tenure of the Mahayuti government, some legislators got an opportunity to work as ministers for one-and-a-half years,” he added.

"We have decided that during the five-year tenure of this government, we will give an opportunity to others also for two-and-a-half years, which means many will get a chance to become (cabinet) ministers and state ministers. Accordingly, many districts and regions will get representation," the deputy chief minister said.

Maharashtra cabinet expansion

The BJP, which emerged as the single largest party in the Mahayuti alliance, got 19 ministerial berths. Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena got 11 while Ajit Pawar's NCP got nine.

NCP's Chhagan Bhujbal and Dilip Walse Patil and BJP's Sudhir Mungantiwar were among the leaders excluded from the cabinet.

While 33 legislators were sworn in as cabinet ministers, six took oath as ministers of state.

In the November 20 assembly polls, the Mahayuti swept to power, winning 230 out of 288 seats in the state. The BJP led with 132 seats, followed by Shinde's Shiv Sena with 57 and Pawar's NCP getting 41.

(With PTI inputs)