Fadnavis expands ministry, 11 sworn in, Uddhav skips ceremony

TIL Desk/National/Mumbai-Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today expanded his council of ministers, inducting 11 ministers, including 10 new faces, in the exercise which left Shiv Sena unhappy as it was denied a Cabinet berth.

Unlike in the Union Cabinet reshuffle, where Shiv Sena was ignored, Fadnavis inducted two legislators from the bickering ally as Ministers of State. Six legislators were sworn-in as Cabinet ministers, including Ram Shinde who was elevated to the rank. He was earlier Minister of State for Home (rural).

Sena MLAs Arjun Khotkar, from Jalna in Marathwada region, and Gulabrao Patil, from Jalgaon in north Maharashtra, were inducted in the ministry as junior ministers. Patil hails from former BJP minister Eknath Khadse’s home turf Jalgaon, while Khotkar belongs to Jalna, the native district of state BJP president Raosaheb Danve.