MUMBAI: The deadlock continues over cabinet expansion in Maharashtra. Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde abruptly cancelled his scheduled Delhi visit on Wednesday evening.
Shinde was expected to meet the top leadership of the BJP to discuss the cabinet expansion.
According to sources, Shinde made several visits to Delhi and met the top leadership of the BJP, but there is an icebreaker between the two partners. Shinde might fly on Thursday to Delhi once he confirms the appointment of the BJP leadership in Delhi.
"The problem is not only with Shinde’s demand but BJP is also having issues regarding the expansion of the cabinet, which is causing a delay in the expansion," said a senior BJP leader who requested anonymity.
"After getting the Chief Minister post, Shinde wants to keep the key portfolios like Home and Finance with him so that he can give justice to his 41 rebelled Shiv Sena MLAs. Shinde had promised everyone either making cabinet minister or minister for the state. It will be difficult for him to fulfil this given promise, therefore if finance is with him, then at least he can impart sufficient funds to his camp MLAs and Lok Sabha MPs. And, with the home ministry, he can control the state and break the Sena further. The 12 Shiv Sena Lok Sabha MPs who joined Shinde also expecting some good pie in this new alliance. So, Shinde is surrounded by several issues and demands of his own people."
Source added, Shinde is a hard bargainer while BJP is also a tough bargainer. "BJP leadership is in no mood to sacrifice further after giving the Chief Minister post to Shinde, while Shinde will continue to remain on the pitch to get some or other things. This tough bargaining by both sides is causing an indefinite delay in the cabinet expansion. Shinde met the BJP’s leadership with the list but leadership is no more entertaining him now. They are not also giving him appointments. In his last Delhi visit, he spent his entire day at Maharashtra Sadan to fix the appointment with top BJP leaders but failed and returned back to Maharashtra without any concrete meeting," said sources requesting anonymity.
Deepak Kesarkar, Shinde camp spokesperson said that the media should not worry about the delay in cabinet expansions. He said there is a government in place and taking several decisions. "We are confident that there will be soon cabinet expansion in Maharashtra. A month's delay is not much delay. It has happened earlier also. Uddhav Thackerays' government had also delayed cabinet expansion despite 2/3 majority on his side," he explained.
Sources in BJP said that the top leaders of Delhi leadership also want to give a second shock to Maharashtra BJP by giving all fresh faces like Gujarat patterns' cabinet expansion. "Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis doing hard lobbying for his people while the BJP state president Chandrakant Patil, Ashish Shelar, Pankaja Munde and Vinod Tawade are also doing their own lobbying. This has made it difficult to come out with same-page solutions. The BJP not only struggling to resolve Shindes' demands but within the party demand is also a major issue. All these things are incorporated for the delay in cabinet expansion," said a BJP leader requesting anonymity.