Maharashtra: Will entire cabinet see a major reshuffle, or will just one minister be affected?

Speculations run rife that Maharashtra's political landscape is set to be reshaped by a significant cabinet reshuffle. These speculations intensified on Saturday following Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis’ recent visit to Delhi, as well as his back-to-back meetings with the BJP top brass.

The speculations are mainly centred around either getting rid of various controversial ministers, or modifying their portfolios.

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When asked about the speculations, senior BJP leader and minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule reiterated that while NCP (SP) chief Ajit Pawar and Shiv Sena supremo Eknath Shinde could decide for their parties—which was their “right”—he also declared that the “final decision rests with Fadnavis as he is the chief minister of the state", as per a PTI report.

Other ministers whose actions have triggered questions about ministerial conduct are Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Shirsat and BJP minister Girish Mahajan.

Shirsat was seen in a viral video smoking casually in his hotel room with a bag—allegedly full of cash—lying next to him.

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Calling it a “well-thought-out conspiracy” to tarnish his reputation, he alleged that he was being spied on. Notably, the viral video clip was posted online a day after Shirsat was served an income tax notice over his rapid financial growth.

BJP minister Girish Mahajan was criticised after a photo of him with Praful Lodha, the accused in a “honeytrap” case, circulated online.

Shiv Sena ministers such as Sanjay Rathod and Yogesh Kadam, as well as NCP minister Narhari Zirwal have also drawn flak for inefficiency.

Political sources on Monday offered THE WEEK another possible outcome: that amid all this speculation of a cabinet reshuffle, only Maharashtra Agriculture Minister Manikrao Kokate (NCP) would be affected.

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Kokate has been mired in controversies since the beginning of this year, with the most recent ones being a viral video of him playing online rummy during a session of the Legislative Assembly earlier this month, and his comment calling the government a “beggar”.

However, he continued to deny all the allegations against him, threatening to sue those responsible in what he calls attempts to “defame” him.

Both Kokate and Shirsat were criticised by the Opposition during the monsoon session of the Maharashtra Assembly, which concluded on July 18.

India