Mumbai: Days after Ajit Pawar joined the BJP-Sena government, the top leaders of the ruling parties in the state are scrambling to finalize the cabinet expansion to keep the flock together.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis held a late-night meeting with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde at his official residence, Varsha, in Mumbai. According to reports, the two leaders discussed the cabinet expansion among other issues.
The meeting came amid the fierce power tussle between rival NCP factions, led by Sharad Pawar and his nephew Ajit Pawar.
Deputy CM Fadnavis was seen leaving the CM’s residence after the meeting on Thursday late at night. The meeting also came against the backdrop of opposition parties claiming that CM Shinde will be replaced and only for this reason, Ajit Pawar has joined the ruling alliance. However, addressing the reports of discontent among Shiv Sena MLAs regarding NCP leader Ajit Pawar’s joining the Shinde-Fadnavis government and resigning from the top post, CM Shinde made it clear that his government has emerged even stronger as they have now the support of over 200 MLAs and he had no plans of stepping down. CM Shinde termed all such reports as ‘rumours’.