MUMBAI: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is expected to carry out a cabinet reshuffle soon, with underperforming ministers likely to be dropped and new faces inducted, sources said.
As part of the exercise, Fadnavis has asked Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar to review the performance of ministers from their respective parties and identify those who have underperformed.
Sources said ministers facing corruption allegations or embroiled in controversies over their remarks and conduct are likely to be dropped from the cabinet.
"The BJP is also going to drop the major names in the cabinet reshuffle. Mahayuti government has the support of two-thirds MLAs... despite such a huge majority, the government image is getting tarnished due to these ministers' conduct and the 50 per cent corruption tag," a senior BJP leader said, requesting anonymity.
"Therefore, it is the right time to overhaul the ministry and bring new and efficient faces in the cabinet," the leader added.
Fadnavis recently travelled to New Delhi, where he held a closed-door meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah. According to sources, the two discussed possible changes to both the Union and Maharashtra cabinets, including potential candidates.
Shiv Sena leader and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde has already held a review meeting with ministers from his faction at his official residence to assess their performance. During the meeting, he told ministers that difficult decisions would be needed to improve the government's image.
A source told TNIE that Shiv Sena is also likely to get one Cabinet berth and two Ministers of State posts in the Union government. The source said the names of Lok Sabha MPs Shrikant Shinde, son of Eknath Shinde, and Omprakash Nimbalkar have been shortlisted for the Centre.
The source added that new faces for the Maharashtra cabinet were also discussed during the meeting, and that Shinde is scheduled to travel to Delhi to meet the BJP's top leadership.
Meanwhile, NCP leader and Deputy CM Sunetra Pawar and her son, Parth Pawar, have begun holding meetings with ministers from their party.
According to sources, Parth is keen to replace some of the old and tainted faces with new entrants in the cabinet.