The BJP’s choice of ministers for cabinet expansion in Maharashtra shows that the party has opted for both continuity and change.
Among newly inducted ministers, BJP has the largest share with 19 (16 Cabinet and 3 MoS) ministers.
Among these 19 ministers, there are 8 people from the previous coalition government. The party has fielded both senior West Maharashtra leaders Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil and Chandrakant Patil.
At least four ministers of the previous government Sudhir Mungantiwar, Suresh Khade, Ravindra Chavan, Vijaykumar Gavit have left. Sudhir Mungantiwar chaired the party’s election manifesto committee for the 2024 assembly elections. The selection of cabinet candidates saw the party balancing its regional and ethnic composition.
From the Vidarbha region, the party has state BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule who represents the Teli community (OBC), Ashok Uike from the tribal community and Akash Fundkar from the Kunbi community (OBC).
Ravindra Chavan, a close aide of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, representing Dombivli, also failed to make it to the cabinet.
Top BJP sources said, “Ravindra Chavan, who belongs to the Maratha community, can be made the state BJP party president.”
After Bawankule gets a seat in the cabinet, the state BJP president’s post will be vacant and the post needs a candidate who can not only help strengthen the organization but also ensure full coordination with the government, which has a large majority.
Bawankule, who did not get a ticket in the 2019 assembly elections, was made the state party president in August 2022. He was appointed to the Council of Ministers after the overwhelming victory of the party in the Assembly elections under his leadership.
Despite having 132 elected MLAs, the BJP has made national secretary Pankaja Munde a cabinet minister. He is the only member from the State Legislative Council (MLC) to be inducted into the Council of Ministers.
A senior party functionary said, “The party wants to accommodate Pankaja Munde in the cabinet to pacify her and her followers, who were upset when they sent Pankaja Munde as national secretary to Delhi.”
Pankaja, who hails from Beed in Marathwada region, represents the Vanjari community (OBC). Eldest of three daughters of late Gopinath Munde, Pankaja Munde’s induction into the cabinet marks her return to politics in the state.
The senior tribal leader of Nandurbar, Vijay Kumar Gavit, did not make it to the cabinet, while the BJP gave a chance to the young leader of Yavatmal-Washim, Ashok Uike. Similarly, Sanjay Savkare, who was elected from Bhusawal, a reserved scheduled caste seat, has also been given the post of minister.
“Candidates were selected based on various factors including their role in strengthening the organization in their respective areas. Those who persisted and delivered results were rewarded,” a BJP source said.
Senior leader from Jamner (North Maharashtra) Girish Mahajan has been appointed to the Cabinet for the third time. Mahajan, close to Fadnavis, is known as the party’s troublemaker.
The cabinet composition also sends a subtle message that the BJP is not going to let its guard down in its battle with the rival Sena (UBT). By giving Cabinet berths to Ganesh Naik from the OBC community in Navi Mumbai and Nitesh Rane from the Maratha community in Sindhudurg-Ratnagiri, the BJP is looking to make deep inroads into the Sena’s UBT strongholds.
State BJP president Ashish Shelar, who is in the reckoning for the cabinet, has also made it to the list, leaving the Mumbai BJP chief vacant.
Ahead of the BMC elections, the party will have to find a suitable candidate to replace Shelar.
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