Swearing-In Ceremony
The Maharashtra cabinet was officially sworn in on December 15, 2024, in a ceremony held in Nagpur, marking a significant event as it is the first such ceremony in the city since 1991. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, alongside his deputies Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, took their oaths in a ceremony administered by Governor CP Radhakrishnan at Raj Bhavan. This ceremony precedes the winter session of the Maharashtra legislature, requiring the cabinet to finalize its portfolios swiftly.
Cabinet Ministers
Here is the list of the newly inducted cabinet ministers:
- Chandrashekhar Bawankule (BJP)
- Constituency: Kamthi (Nagpur District)
- Position: State President of BJP
- Term: First as Cabinet Minister
- Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil (BJP)
- Constituency: Shirdi
- Term: 8th term as MLA
- Previous Roles: Revenue Minister in the Shinde government
- Hasan Mushrif (NCP)
- Constituency: Kagal (Kolhapur District)
- Term: 4th term as MLA
- Chandrakant Patil (BJP)
- Constituency: Kothrud (Pune District)
- Term: 2nd term as MLA
- Previous Roles: MLC, Revenue and Public Works Minister
- Girish Mahajan (BJP)
- Constituency: Jamner (Jalgaon District)
- Term: 7th term as MLA
- Gulabrao Patil (Shiv Sena)
- Constituency: Jalgaon Rural
- Term: 5th term as MLA
- Notable: Followed Eknath Shinde during party split
- Ganesh Naik (BJP)
- Constituency: Airoli
- Term: 7th term as MLA
- Previous Associations: Formerly in Shiv Sena and NCP
- Dada Bhuse (Shiv Sena)
- Constituency: Malegaon (Outer)
- Term: 5th term as MLA
- Sanjay Rathod (Shiv Sena)
- Constituency: Dogras
- Notable: Recently elected
- Dhananjay Munde (NCP)
- Term: 2nd term as MLA
Challenges in Portfolio Allocation
The new cabinet’s formation and portfolio allocation faced prolonged discussions, primarily due to the need to balance power among the factions of Shiv Sena and NCP. Both parties intended to secure influential roles in the newly formed government.
Election Context
The swearing-in ceremony comes on the tails of a decisive victory for the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance in the state elections, where they secured a total of 235 seats in the 288-member Maharashtra Legislative Assembly. The BJP emerged as the single largest party with 132 seats, while Shiv Sena and NCP won 57 and 41 seats, respectively. Conversely, the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance encountered a significant decline, with the Congress claiming just 16 seats and the UBT faction winning 20 seats.
Future Outlook
As the cabinet prepares for the upcoming winter session, constitutional mandates allow for a maximum of 43 ministers, creating a space for further ministerial appointments and roles that align with party affiliations and responsibilities. The BJP is anticipated to retain crucial ministries, including Home and Revenue, while distributing Urban Development to the Shiv Sena and Finance to the Ajit Pawar-led NCP.
The evolving political landscape in Maharashtra reflects ongoing negotiations and strategic placements amid the coalition dynamics.
