The Maharashtra government announced a long-awaited cabinet expansion on July 14, appointing Ajit Pawar of the National Congress Party (NCP) as finance minister.
Five other members of the NCP Group, including Food and Civil Demand Minister Chagan Bhujbar, Women and Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare, Agriculture Minister Dhananjay Munde and Cooperation Minister Dilip Walth Patil, were also added to the Cabinet. Anil Patel becomes Minister of Aid and Rehabilitation.
The expansion comes a few weeks after the Ajit Pawar faction joined Prime Minister Eknas Shinde’s ruling Shiv Sena Party and the Indian Bharatiya Janata Party.
On July 2nd, Sharad Pawar’s nephew, Ajit Pawar, was appointed Deputy CM of Maharashtra for the third time since 2019.
His decision to join the BJP came after his cousin Supriya Soule was appointed acting president of the NCP led by Sharad Pawar. Ajit Pawar also expressed dissatisfaction with the announcement of Uddav Thackeray as the face of the Maharashtra State Vikas Agadi (MVA) Union.
In the 2019 Maharashtra general election, the BJP secured victory with 105 seats, while Shiv Sena won 56 seats before the split. Both countries’ allies had enough seats to form a government, but disagreements arose over the division of power.
Shiv Sena then began negotiations with Congress and the NCP to seek alternative alliances and governments.
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