Today, Maharashtra will announce its new Chief Minister. A crucial BJP legislative meeting is about to take place in Mumbai, where central observers will consult with the legislators before declaring the new leader of the house. The division of ministries will also be finalized. The BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP within the Grand Alliance are currently making separate claims about the number of ministers from each quota.
The swearing-in ceremony of Maharashtra’s new government is scheduled for December 5 at Azad Maidan, South Mumbai. The CM along with two Deputy CMs will be sworn in during the event, which will be graced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other top leaders. The assumption is that the CM will be from the BJP quota, while Deputy CMs will be from Shiv Sena and NCP quotas.
Let us explore the current Eknath Shinde cabinet’s ministerial distribution and the new claims being made by the partner parties regarding their ministerial stakes.
The Maharashtra Assembly election results were declared on November 23. The Grand Alliance achieved a massive majority with BJP having the most elected MLAs at 132. Shiv Sena won 57 seats and NCP claimed 41. JSS secured 2 seats while RSJP won one. BJP had fielded 149 candidates, whereas Shiv Sena and NCP had given tickets to 81 and 59 candidates respectively. Currently, Shiv Sena’s leader Eknath Shinde is the CM, and BJP's Devendra Fadnavis and NCP’s Ajit Pawar serve as Deputy CMs.
The battle for a stake in the new Maharashtra government continues undeterred. BJP clinches the CM position with support from Ajit Pawar’s faction, consequently weakening Shiv Sena’s claim. For 11 days, a keen emphasis is being placed on the distribution of ministries, which has led to a constant hustle as Grand Alliance leaders remain in touch with BJP's high-command in Delhi. Devendra Fadnavis, Eknath Shinde, and Ajit Pawar have engaged in multiple meetings in Delhi. Ajit Pawar, in particular, has been stationed in Delhi for the past 24 hours, with the swearing-in set for Thursday in Mumbai.
It is anticipated that Ajit Pawar is keen on securing major portfolios again. In 2023, when he joined Mahayuti, he appointed nine ministers and wrestled away various departments like Agriculture and Finance from BJP and Shiv Sena. Ajit now wishes to retain these significant departments, highlighting their importance for his faction.
The Eknath Shinde faction is also not in a conciliatory mood. Their large victory is attributed to their government's pivotal schemes under Shinde’s leadership. The faction argues that if Shinde is not made CM and only offered the Deputy CM post, significant departments such as the Home Ministry should be given to them, citing Fadnavis as a precedent when he was a Deputy CM under Shinde’s leadership.
This time, BJP is less inclined to compromise. In 2019, despite being the largest party, it played the role of a 'younger brother'. However, with an 89% win rate this time, BJP is buoyed by a decisive mandate. Experts highlight the significant implications of such a majority, pushing BJP towards a solo run in 2029 elections.
Post-2019 political upheaval, BJP cadre morale dipped. Observing a subdued performance in recent Lok Sabha elections, the focus is on upcoming BMC and 2029 Lok Sabha elections. The party seeks to bolster worker morale, underscoring its intent to appear as the 'elder brother' across roles from CM to ministry allocations, emphasizing internal consensus in decision-making.
BJP remains adamant about avoiding any rift within Mahayuti, suggesting all decisions have been made amicably. Meetings from Mumbai to Delhi reflect careful deliberation. Both Shinde and Ajit Pawar affirmed their alignment with BJP high command’s resolutions. Initially scheduled Mahayuti meetings were disrupted due to unexpected changes in Shinde's schedule, creating temporary tensions within the alliance. Shinde, after returning from his village, distanced himself from engagements citing health reasons, though interactions resumed between BJP and Shiv Sena high commands.
Maharashtra Assembly holds 288 seats with a CM-led ministry capacity of 43 members. In July 2023, when Ajit Pawar's NCP faction joined the government, the Shinde cabinet saw reshuffling. BJP with 105 supporting MLAs had only 10 ministers. Ajit Pawar's faction, with a claim of 42 MLAs, included 9 ministers. Similarly, Shiv Sena, with 40 MLAs, maintained parity with BJP, fielding 10 ministers, with Eknath Shinde as CM, and Deputy CMs from BJP and NCP.
On joining Ajit Pawar's faction, ministries were redistributed affording significant power to Ajit’s group at the expense of BJP and Shiv Sena’s ministerial posts, impacting portfolios like Agriculture and Finance crucially.
Looking Ahead, Who Is Claiming Which Departments?
Protracted dialogue on the distribution of ministries marks the setup of Maharashtra's new government. Speculations suggest agreement on a power-sharing model is underway, with BJP aiming for 21-22 ministry stakes, asserting a hold over the Home department.
Shiv Sena hopes to clinch 11-12 ministries, establishing a second position within the administration hierarchy. Meanwhile, Ajit Pawar's NCP finds solace in potentially involving 10 ministers although Shinde, advocating for 16 cabinet positions, continues to stress keeping the Finance ministry under his control.
Rumors imply BJP might retain strategic domains like Home and Revenue, alongside pivotal Speaker and Chairman roles, while NCP holds Finance and Shiv Sena oversees Urban Development, with future dialogues deciding on other departments. The winter session of Maharashtra Assembly begins December 16 in Nagpur.
