Maharashtra Cabinet Expansion: No heads will roll, but allies demand their share

How to accommodate all its four small allies in the state Cabinet is a big issue that the Bharatiya Janata Party BJP is trying to resolve The allies put the BJP under further pressure on Monday especially in view of their major partnerrsquos weakening position after the Bihar polls and sought their respective share in the Fadnavis governmentCM Devendra Fadnavis has a big task on his hands as he decides on who would join the state Cabinet File PicFollowing a meeting with the allies the BJPrsquos state core committee headed by CM Devendra Fadnavis was expected to meet for a closedoor interaction late Monday night at the CMrsquos official residence or any other suitable venue The leaders were to decide as to how the allies should be appeased in an amicable way Currently the strength of the council of ministers is 30 with 20 ministers from the BJP and 10 from the Shiv Sena There are 12 vacancies to be filled The Sena has a quota of two ministers in the upcoming expansion while BJPrsquos smaller allies are demanding a berth eachIn the Sena many aspirants are in the line Neelam Gorhe Gulabrao Patil Arjun Khotkar Sujit Minchekar and Rajesh Kshirsagar are at the forefront said sources adding that the party chief may throw a surprise by suggesting names other than the hot contendersAll on boardIt is unlikely that CM Devendra Fadnavis would drop any minister from the existing team because a mere one yearrsquos time is not sufficient for assessing the ministersrsquo performance said a senior BJP leader adding that in all probability four BJP legislators were likely to be freshly inducted and some from the existing team could be promoted to Cabinet rankAmong BJP legislators Sanjay Kute Vidarbha Jaikumar Rawal north Maharashtra Sambhaji Nilangekar Marathwada Shivaji Naik western Maharashtra Ashish Shelar and Mangalprabhat Lodha Mumbai are in the reckoningState BJP President Raosaheb Danve told reporters after meeting the allies that they did not demand any specific department ldquoWe discussed Cabinet expansion in a cordial atmosphere There were no other major issuesrdquo he told reporterslsquoWe want our sharersquoThe BJPrsquos four smaller allies have been very vocal in demanding their share in the Fadnavis Cabinet They demanded on Monday that the BJP should live up to their expectations by inducting their nominees in the council of ministers The allies had a meeting with the BJP Monday afternoonThe president of the Republican Party of India A Ramdas Athwale said that he would not settle for anything less than a Cabinet berth He said he was not interested in securing a berth in the state for himself or his wife but would like some of his associates to get a Cabinet berth in MaharashtraHowever Athwale a Rajya Sabha MP from the BJPrsquos quota wanted a ministerial berth for himself in the Modi government ldquoI donrsquot want to return to Maharashtra I would love to work in Delhirdquo he told reporters refuting the BJPrsquos offer that he should accept a Cabinet post in the Fadnavis governmentAccording to information Athwale may suggest Avinash Mahatekarrsquos name for the Maharashtra team Another BJP ally Swabhimani Paksha chief Raju Shetti has asked the BJP to fulfil a promise that his party leader would be made a Maharashtra minister ldquoI have reminded the BJP about a promise that was given to us At todayrsquos Monday meeting we discussed the policies of the state government and put forth our views as wellrdquo said ShettiAccording to sources Shetti wants his partyrsquos state president Sada Khot to be inducted by Fadnavis Mahadev Jankar of the Rashtriya Samaj Paksha who had unsuccessfully fought elections against NCPrsquos Supriya Sule in Baramati was sure of getting himself a berth as he is already a legislator in the upper house ldquoIrsquom sure that we will get a berth in the Cabinet expansion which is likely to happen before the winter session of the state legislaturerdquo he saidShiv Sangramrsquos Vinayak Mete also an MLC is hoping to share power with the BJP He thinks his chances are brighter because he heads a Maratha organisationAllies in the legislatureOther than Jankar and Mete the RPI and Swabhimani Paksha donrsquot have their legislators in either House of the state legislature Technically representatives of the RPI and Swabhimani can be made ministers but they will have to get elected to either House within six months from the day of swearingin The legislative council polls for eight vacancies will held in January next year but the allies may not be able to win them because of lack of voter support in the localself governments municipal corporations and zilla parishads etcldquoWe see no prospects for the allies in the ensuing MLC polls These elections need a solid vote bank and a lot of money powerrdquo said a senior BJP leader adding that his party was not ready to foot the bill and supply manpower for the alliesThis means that the allies will have to wait till July next year when another round of MLC polls from the electoral college of Assembly members MLAs are heldIn this case said another BJP leader the ally ministers if sworn in anytime soon will have to resign after completing six months in office and then contest the MLC polls in July The BJP will support allies fully in these polls said the BJP leader