Maha government formation: Ajit Pawar takes oath as Deputy Chief Minister

Mangalore Today News Network / Yahoo

Mumbai, Dec 30, 2019:  Over a month after the Maha Vikas Aghadi government took charge in Maharashtra, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray will undertake the first exercise to expand his Council of Ministers.

 

As many as 36 new ministers including Cabinet and Minister of State ranks are expected to be inducted today. Governor BS Koshyari will administer the oath of office and secrecy to the new ministers in the Vidhan Bhavan precinct. What will be interesting to watch will be the share and which portfolios the three parties decide on.

The NCP as well as the Congress have been pressing the Shiv Sena for important ministries and this has been a bone of contention between the new alliance partners.

All eyes will also be set on NCP leader Ajit Pawar who made a dramatic return to the party after joining hands with BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis in an overnight coup to grab the deputy CM’s chair.

NCP supporters have been demanding that Ajit be made the deputy CM in the Maha Vikas Aghadi comprising the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress. Multiple reports suggest that Ajit is tipped to get the deputy CM’s post. But when NCP supremo Sharad Pawar was recently asked about his nephew’s role in the alliance government, he refused to confirm anything.