Maharashtra CM holds roadshow ahead of cabinet expansion

Nagpur (Maharashtra) [India], December 15 (ANI): Ahead of the cabinet expansion, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday held a road show in Nagpur. He was accompanied by his wife Amruta Fadnavis and state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule.
"Nagpur city is my family and my family is welcoming me," Fadnavis said during the roadshow.
Maharashtra Deputy CM and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Ajit Pawar also arrived in Nagpur ahead of the first cabinet meeting and expansion of the BJP-led State government
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena MLA Bharatshet Gogawale today said that the oath-taking ceremony will take place at 4 pm today. Twelve MLAs from his party including himself will take oath as ministers of which seven are new faces, he said.
"Oath ceremony will take place at 4 pm today. So, we have all come to Nagpur. Seven people are new (who will take oath as ministers) and 5 are being repeated," Gogawale told ANI.
BJP MLA Girish Mahajan said that he got a call from the state BJP Chief announcing his selection as minister.
"State BJP Chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule called me and told me that I have to take oath (as Maharashtra Minister) at 4 pm. I will take oath as the minister for the third time. I express gratitude to the party," Mahajan told ANI.
BJP national secretary Pankaja Munde said,, "I am delighted that I am getting the opportunity to work in the team of CM Devendra Fadnavis once again. I express gratitude to PM Modi, Amit Shah, JP Nadda and..."
BJP MLA Shivendra Raje Bhosale told ANI that he did not get a call from the party leadership, adding that everyone will abide by the decision of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
"I have not received any phone call yet. Let's see what happens...Workers in the constituency do have expectations but everyone will abide by the decision of Devendra Fadnavis, whatever he decides," Bhosale said.
Reacting to the Cabinet expansion, Shiv Sena MLA Uday Samant said, "I have not received a phone call yet but all those who will be given the responsibility by Eknath Shinde, will shoulder that responsibility well. Those who will get the phone call will take the oath.
"The Cabinet expansion is taking place after more than two weeks since Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his two deputies, Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, were sworn in on December 5.
The Mahayuti alliance had come under fire from the opposition for not naming its cabinet despite having an overwhelming majority.
The Maharashtra Assembly Election 2024 witnessed a decisive victory for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Mahayuti alliance, securing a landslide win with 235 seats. The results marked a significant milestone for the BJP, which emerged as the single-largest party with 132 seats.
The Shiv Sena and NCP also made notable gains, with 57 and 41 seats, respectively. (ANI)