Maharashtra Cabinet Portfolios Announced: Devendra Fadnavis Retains Home Ministry, Eknath Shinde Gets Three Key Departments

Mumbai:
Nearly two weeks after the swearing-in ceremony of Maharashtra’s new government, the much-anticipated cabinet portfolios were finally announced on Saturday. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis retained the powerful Home Ministry, along with several other key departments, while his deputy, Eknath Shinde, was allocated three important portfolios: Urban Development, Housing, and Public Works.

Eknath Shinde, the former Chief Minister in the previous government, was reportedly vying for the Home Ministry but had to settle for other significant roles. The other Deputy Chief Minister, Ajit Pawar, was assigned the crucial Finance and State Excise portfolios.

Fadnavis’s Key Portfolios
In addition to the Home Ministry, Devendra Fadnavis will oversee Energy (excluding Renewable Energy), Law and Judiciary, General Administration, Information and Publicity, and departments not allocated to any other minister.

The portfolios were finalized after the week-long Winter Session of the state legislature concluded earlier in the day. The Fadnavis-led cabinet now consists of 42 members, just one short of the maximum 43 allowed under legislative norms.

Mahayuti Alliance Dominates
The Mahayuti alliance, comprising the BJP, Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena faction, and Ajit Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) faction, won a landslide victory in the state elections, securing over 230 of the 288 assembly seats. In contrast, the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), which includes Congress, Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena faction, and Sharad Pawar’s NCP faction, managed only 46 seats.

Opposition Criticism Over Delay
The delay in announcing portfolios drew sharp criticism from opposition leaders, who alleged that the Winter Session was reduced to a formality due to the lack of clarity on ministerial responsibilities. Aaditya Thackeray, a leader from Uddhav Thackeray’s faction, called the delay “a joke,” accusing the government of prioritizing perks over responsibility.

State minister Girish Mahajan, however, downplayed the criticism, stating that a unanimous decision on portfolio allocation had been reached between the Chief Minister and his deputies.

With the portfolios now distributed, the Fadnavis-led government faces mounting pressure to address pressing issues such as farmer welfare and economic development in the state.

News Source : “Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.”