Maharashtra Cabinet Expansion: Ministers to Serve 2.5-Year Terms with Affidavit Requirement

In a much-awaited development, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis expanded his cabinet on Sunday with 39 ministers taking oath of office in Nagpur. The swearing-in ceremony was attended by key political figures such as Deputy Chief Ministers Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde, along with Union Minister Nitin Gadkari.

Significantly, the newly elected ministers will have a short tenure of 2.5 years and are even expected to give affidavits committing to this time frame. Though Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde have accepted the term for the respective groups, it cannot be known if the Bharatiya Janata Party ministers would accept this structure.

The new cabinet comprises 19 BJP ministers, 9 from the NCP, and 11 from the Shiv Sena Shinde camp. But discontent had been building up among some of them, such as Shiv Sena MLA Bhondekar, who quit as deputy leader after being left out of the cabinet. So did RPI leader Ramdas Athawale, who felt let down on the promises of a berth in the cabinet and legislative council.

Ministers to Sign Affidavits

Shiv Sena ministers will be asked to sign affidavits agreeing to the 2.5-year term limit. Deputy CM Eknath Shinde conveyed this during a party meeting, emphasizing that after the term ends, ministers must vacate their positions as stated in the affidavit. Ajit Pawar also hinted at this rotational arrangement during a party event, marking a significant shift in cabinet management.