Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP chief Ajit Pawar also arrived in Nagpur for the first cabinet meeting and the expansion of the BJP-led state government. Shiv Sena MLA Bharatshet Gogawale revealed that 12 MLAs from his party, including himself, would take the oath, with seven being new faces and five retaining their positions.

BJP MLA Girish Mahajan announced that he would be sworn in as a minister for the third time, expressing gratitude to the party leadership for their trust and support. BJP national secretary Pankaja Munde expressed her delight at being included in CM Fadnavis’s team and thanked the party’s top leadership for the opportunity.

BJP MLA Shivendra Raje Bhosale mentioned he had not received a call regarding his inclusion in the cabinet but affirmed his commitment to abide by CM Fadnavis’s decision. Shiv Sena MLA Uday Samant stated that those selected by Eknath Shinde would shoulder their responsibilities with dedication, while he awaited any communication from the leadership.

The cabinet expansion comes after a delay of over two weeks since CM Fadnavis and his deputies, Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, were sworn in on 5th December. The opposition had criticised the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance for delaying the announcement of the cabinet despite holding an overwhelming majority in the assembly.

The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance secured a landslide victory in the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections, winning 235 seats and solidifying its position in the state. The BJP emerged as the single-largest party with 132 seats, while its alliance partners Shiv Sena and NCP secured 57 and 41 seats, respectively.