Maharashtra cabinet formation: Eknath Shinde skips key NDA huddle in Delhi

Shiv Sena's Eknath Shinde will not be part of a meeting that Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar will hold with central leaders of the BJP on Maharashtra cabinet formation. (File Photo: PTI)

Amid the ongoing stalemate over the allocation of portfolios in Maharashtra a week after the Mahayuti formed a government in Maharashtra, top alliance leaders including Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar arrived in Delhi on Wednesday to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president JP Nadda to resolve differences over some portfolios.

While the BJP, Shiv Sena and the NCP have largely arrived at a consensus on the distribution of portfolios, some issues remain over the allocation of some key departments.

As per the formula worked out between the Mahayuti partners, the BJP gets 22 ministries, the Shiv Sena gets 11 while 10 ministries will be allocated to the NCP. The Maharashtra Cabinet can have a maximum of 43 ministers, including the Chief Minister.

The BJP has decided to retain to Home department as well as Revenue while the Shiv Sena, which had demanded Home, has been given the Urban Development portfolio, reports Hindustan Times. The NCP is likely to retain the Finance portfolio.

As discussions progressed over the past fortnight or so and issues remained with respect to certain ministries, the three Mahayuti parties sought the intervention of the BJP's central leadership.

Notably, while Fadnavis and Pawar have landed in Delhi where they were scheduled to meet Shah on Wednesday evening or Thursday morning, Shinde has chosen to stay back and not be part of these meetings.

Shinde is believed to be aggrieved by the manner in which he has been treated ever since the declaration of election results on November 23. According to media reports citing sources close to the Shiv Sena leader, Shinde was keen on the Revenue, Public Works, including MSRDC, Housing and Energy portfolios. However, the BJP refused to heed to his demands.

Shinde, it is learnt, has also been asked to drop leaders who faced corruption charges in the last government. As per sources, Shinde is not keen on doing so.

The NCP is also learnt to be pushing for a more number of berths while there are some departments like PWD and agriculture that have been claimed by at least two of the three parties.

Meanwhile, the first expansion of the Fadnavis Cabinet is expected to take place on Saturday, December 14, two days before the Maharashtra Assembly convenes for the Winter Session from December 16. The expansion, however, will be contingent upon the three parties arriving at a consensus on the number of departments, the portfolios as well as the names of ministers who will take oath.

In the event of an absence of a consensus, the Cabinet formation may be further delayed until after the conclusion of the Winter Session of the Assembly, HT quoted BJP sources as saying.