Maharashtra cabinet portfolios allocated: Devendra Fadnavis keeps Home ministry. Know what others got

Around two weeks after the Maharashtra swearing-in ceremony, the cabinet portfolio was announced on Saturday (Dec 21). Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde got three ministries, including Urban Development, Housing and Public Works. However, he did not get the Home portfolio, which he was interested in. 

The second Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, has been assigned the key Finance Ministry portfolio. Moreover, he also got the Excise portfolio. 

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis got himself the Home, Energy, and Law ministries. 

Shiv Sena’s Dadaji Bhuse will be the new school education minister while Uday Samant will continue to be the industries minister. 

Sena’s Prakash Abitkar will be heading the health ministry while Pratap Sarnaik is the transport minister. 

Bharatiya Janata Party’s Chandrashekhar Bawankule got the revenue ministry. 

In the Maharashtra assembly polls, the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance secured a decisive victory, winning 235 seats. The Bharatiya Janata Party emerged as the single-largest party with 132 seats, while Shiv Sena won 57 and NCP secured 41 seats. 

Shiv Sena demanded the CM portfolio for Eknath Shinde after the victory. However, after days of discussion, Shinde relented and conceded the Chief Minister’s post to Devendra Fadnavis. 

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Later, Shinde demanded the home portfolio. 

Hours before the cabinet portfolios were assigned today, state minister Girish Mahajan said “he believes a unanimous decision has been reached” between Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his Deputies over portfolio allocation.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aditya Thackeray slammed the Devendra Fadnavis-led government, terming the delay in portfolio allocation “a joke”, adding that the ministers have gotten their perks but no responsibility. 

“All ministers got bungalows and cars but no responsibility. A joke is going on. No one wants to serve,” he told Indian news agency ANI.

(With inputs from agencies)