INDIA.Mumbai: After an inordinate delay, the expansion of the BJP-Shinde Maharashtra Government led by Eknath Shinde is scheduled to take place with the initial induction of around 17 ministers from the Shinde group and a sizeable number from the BJP on Tuesday.
Official sources confirmed that the swearing-in ceremony has been fixed at 11 am at Raj Bhavan in South Mumbai on Tuesday.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis were looking after the work ever since they were sworn in on June 30. Due to the petitions filed by Shiv Sena and Shinde breakaway faction, in the Supreme Court, the cabinet expansion was delayed.
Resultantly the decisions related to many issues were pending. The two-member Government cleared 399 files in the last 38 days. Eventually, Shinde recently delegated powers to the respective department secretaries to decide the matters except for the quasi-judicial matters.
The MLAs from both sides have been asked to reach Mumbai by Monday night or latest by early Tuesday morning. The probable includes are BJP- Chandrakant Patil, Sudhir Mungantiwar, Girish Mahajan, Ravindra Chavan, Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, Pravin Darekar, Nitesh Rane, and Babanrao Lonikar.
Shinde faction: Sanjay Shirsat, Gulabrao Patil, Dada Bhuse, Uday Samant, Deepak Kesarkar, Sandipan Bhumare and Shambhuraje Desai. As far as possible those from the Shinde faction, who were ministers in the Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA Government, are expected to be retained.
The name of Abdul Sattar (Sillod, Parbhani) who was the minister in the MVA Government was yet to be cleared following his alleged involvement in the TET scam.
The rebellion by Eknath Shinde which began on June 20 eventually led to 39 MLAs breaking away from the Shiv Sena and joining hands with the BJP. Subsequently, more MLAs joined him.
However, the Opposition MVA led by the leader of Opposition Ajit Pawar has not been invited to the swearing ceremony. Pawar told the media that the MVA members are yet to receive any invitation to the swearing ceremony.
In the meanwhile, the monsoon session of the Maharashtra State legislature has been postponed and may take place after 17 August.
In yet another development Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the Patra Chawl scam has been given judicial custody of 14 days and has been sent to Arthur Road jail till August 22.
Also Read: The ECI Asks Thackeray And Shinde Factions To Prove Majority With Documentary Evidence
