The much-awaited swearing-in ceremony of the Mahayuti cabinet has begun in Nagpur, with 35 ministers, including BJP’s Chandrashekhar Bawankule, taking oath today.¹ This expansion comes nearly 10 days after Devendra Fadnavis took oath as Chief Minister, along with Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde and NCP chief Ajit Pawar as his deputies.

The ceremony, held at Raj Bhavan, marks a significant milestone in the formation of the new government in Maharashtra. The Mahayuti alliance, comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP, won 230 out of 288 seats in the state assembly elections. The cabinet expansion is expected to bring stability and strength to the new government.

The new ministers include 21 from the BJP, 12 from Shiv Sena, and 10 from the NCP.² Key leaders like Sudhir Mungantiwar, Chandrakant Patil, and Abdul Sattar might not find a place in the new cabinet lineup. The portfolio allocation and cabinet lineup are expected to align with decisions made by the Mahayuti leaders.

The swearing-in ceremony is a significant event in Maharashtra’s political landscape, marking the beginning of a new chapter in the state’s governance. With the new cabinet in place, the government is expected to focus on key issues like development, infrastructure, and social welfare.