The BJP’s choice of ministers for the Cabinet expansion in Maharashtra shows that the party has chosen both continuity and change.
Among the newly inducted ministers, the BJP has the largest share with 19 (16 Cabinet and 3 MoS) ministers.
These 19 ministers include eight from the previous Mahayuti government. The party has retained senior leaders Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil and Chandrakant Patil, both from western Maharashtra.
Atleast four ministers from previous government — Sudhir Mungantiwar, Suresh Khade, Ravindra Chavan, Vijaykumar Gavit — have been dropped. Sudhir Mungantiwar had chaired the party’s election manifesto committee for the 2024 Assembly polls. The shortlisting of candidates for Cabinet berth saw the party balancing its regional and caste composition.
From Vidarbha region, the party has state BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule who represents Teli community (OBC), Ashok Uike from the tribal community and Akash Phundkar from the Kunbi community (OBC).
Ravindra Chavan, a close associate of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis who represents Dombivli, also failed to make it to the Cabinet.
Highly placed sources in the BJP said, “Ravindra Chavan who is from the Maratha community may be made the state BJP party president.”
With Bawankule getting a Cabinet berth, the state BJP president post will be vacant and will require a candidate for the post who can not only help to consolidate the organisation but also ensure perfect coordination with the government which got a huge majority.
Bawankule, who was denied ticket in the 2019 Assembly polls, was made the state party president in August 2022. His induction to the Cabinet comes after the party’s landslide victory in the Assembly polls under his leadership.
Despite having 132 elected MLAs, BJP has made national secretary Pankaja Munde a Cabinet minister. She is the lone member from state legislative council ( MLC) to make it to the cabinet.
A senior party functionary said, “The party wanted to accomodate Pankaja Munde in Cabinet to placate her and her followers who were upset when she was sent to Delhi as the national secretary.”
Pankaja, who is from Beed in Marathwada region, represents Vanjari community ( OBC). The eldest of three daughters of late Gopinath Munde, Pankaja Munde’s induction to the Cabinet marks her return to state politics.
While senior tribal leader Vijay Kumar Gavit from Nandurbar did not make it to the cabinet, the BJP has given chance to younger leader from Yavatmal-Washim Ashok Uike. Similarly, Sanjay Sawakare, who represents Bhusawal, a reserved Scheduled Caste seat, has also been given ministerial post.
“The candidates were shortlisted based on various factors including their role in strengthening the organisation in their respective areas. Those who have remained consistent and delivered results were rewarded,” a BJP source said.
Senior leader Girish Mahajan from Jamner ( North Maharashtra) has retained his Cabinet berth for the third time. A close confidante of Fadnavis, Mahajan has been known as party’s troubleshooter.
The cabinet composition also conveys subtle message that BJP is not going to lower its guard in the battle with rival Sena ( UBT). By giving cabinet berths to Ganesh Naik , who hails from from the OBC community in Navi Mumbai, and Nitesh Rane, from the Maratha community in Sindhudurg-Ratnagiri, the BJP is trying to make deeper inroads into the Sena UBT bastions.
State BJP president Ashish Shelar, who has been in the reckoning for Cabinet berth, also made it to the list, leaving the Mumbai BJP chief post vacant.
With the BMC polls ahead, party will have to find a suitable candidate to replace Shelar.
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