Nearly three weeks after securing a majority in the Maharashtra Assembly elections, the Mahayuti alliance has yet to finalize the distribution of cabinet portfolios among its three partners: BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP. Following his swearing-in as Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Thursday, amidst ongoing disputes over cabinet divisions. The meeting comes after the three parties requested the intervention of central BJP leaders to resolve the remaining issues. On Wednesday night, Fadnavis, along with Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP President JP Nadda to address the lingering disagreements over certain departments.
Devendra Fadnavis Holds Talks with PM Modi Amid Impasse Over Maharashtra Cabinet Allocation
However, Eknath Shinde, the Shiv Sena leader, chose not to join the discussions in Delhi, fueling further speculation. Sources indicate that Fadnavis, Shinde, and Pawar had agreed on a preliminary division of the 43 ministerial positions in the state—22 for the BJP, 11 for Shiv Sena, and 10 for the NCP. However, this distribution could still change. If Shiv Sena and NCP request additional positions, they may be assigned less significant portfolios, while key positions such as home and revenue are expected to remain with the BJP. Although Shinde had pushed for the home department, he has been allocated urban development, while the finance portfolio will go to the NCP. The Shiv Sena initially argued that the election victory was achieved under Shinde’s leadership, insisting that he should remain the Chief Minister.
However, the BJP stood firm on Fadnavis holding the top position. Shinde, with limited political leverage, acquiesced, as the BJP only needed NCP support to secure a majority. He took the oath as Deputy Chief Minister on December 5 but has since remained absent from political activities in the capital, raising questions about his
