The Shinde Sena and BJP have chosen to defuse the uncertainty by expanding the two-member Cabinet on Tuesday, five weeks after Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his deputy Devendra Fadnavis took oath in a high-voltage political drama.

Though some surprises are expected from BJP, it is still expected to induct senior former ministers—Chandrakant Patil, Sudhir Mungantiwar, Girish Mahajan, Suresh Khade and Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil—in the new team, which could be 14 to 18 in strength, with equal share for the two parties. The formula will change when the council of ministers is packed to capacity of 43 in another expansion. Sources said the parties will try to have representatives from all revenue divisions so that the ministers could grace the Independence Day programme at the headquarters.