Eknath Shinde demands Home Ministry amid talks over portfolio distribution

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has raised a crucial demand of the home department from the BJP while the talks on portfolio allocation are in progress, Shiv Sena MLA Bharat Gogavale said. An aide of Shinde, Gogavale on Friday said the cabinet expansion is likely to take place between December 11 and 16, just ahead of the winter session of the state legislature, which will start in Nagpur, the state's second capital, from December 16.

Gogavale, the MLA from Mahad in Raigad district said, "When Devendra Fadnavis was the deputy chief minister (in the Shinde-led government), he also held the home department. Saheb (Shinde) has demanded the home and talks (on portfolio allocation) are in progress."

Reacting to the question about whom the demand was made, Gogavale said it was probably PM Modi or Home Minister Amit Shah. The Mahad MLA further said that attempts were being made to change the portfolios held by the Shiv Sena in the previous Mahayuti government.

He hoped that the talks on portfolio allocation would be over in the next two days. Notably, BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis took oath as the chief minister for a third time on Thursday. He took oath along with Shinde and Ajit Pawar at a grand ceremony in south Mumbai's Azad Maidan.

No other leader, apart from the top three Mahayuti politicians, was administered the oath of office at the ceremony. The BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP are constituents of the Mahayuti coalition which won 230 seats in the 288-member assembly in the last month's polls.

(With inputs from agencies)