BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP share cabinet posts; ministers will undergo mid-term performance review
In a major political development, the much-anticipated Cabinet expansion of Maharashtra’s BJP-led government took place on December 15, 2024, with 39 ministers taking their oath of office in Nagpur. The event, overseen by Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan, saw the induction of key leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Shiv Sena, and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), forming a strong coalition government under Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. However, a notable aspect of this expansion was the unique clause that ministers’ tenures will be evaluated after two-and-a-half years, depending on their performance.
Cabinet Distribution: BJP Takes the Lead
Out of the 39 ministers sworn in, 33 have been appointed as full-fledged Cabinet ministers, while the remaining six took the oath as Ministers of State (MoS). The BJP secured the lion’s share with 19 ministers, followed by Shiv Sena with 11, and NCP with nine. The full list of new appointees includes prominent figures such as BJP’s Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Girish Mahajan, and Pankaja Munde, alongside NCP’s Aditi Tatkare and Shiv Sena’s Pratap Sarnaik.
In a significant reshuffle, several senior ministers from the previous Cabinet were dropped. Among the BJP, key figures such as Sudhir Mungantiwar and Ravindra Chavan were left out. Shiv Sena also saw the exclusion of Tanaji Sawant and Deepak Kesarkar, while the NCP dropped Chhagan Bhujbal and Dilip Walse-Patil.
Performance Review: A New Governance Strategy
The newly appointed ministers will face a mid-term “performance audit” after two-and-a-half years, a move that has been introduced to ensure accountability within the Cabinet. Chief Minister Fadnavis emphasized that this evaluation process would help ensure that ministers meet the high expectations set by the people, following the landslide victory of the Mahayuti (BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP alliance) in the November 2024 Assembly elections.
“We will conduct a performance audit for every minister. If their work does not meet expectations, we will make changes,” Fadnavis stated at a press conference after the swearing-in ceremony. Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar also supported the move, with Shinde calling it a “perform or perish” policy, which would also create opportunities for more leaders in the future.
The performance audit is designed to not only put pressure on ministers but also provide an avenue for other leaders who were not inducted this time to hope for future opportunities.
Regional and Gender Balance in Cabinet Distribution
Despite attempts to maintain regional balance, some areas have been left underrepresented. Of the 39 ministers, 15 districts, particularly from Vidarbha, Marathwada, and Western Maharashtra, did not receive any representation in the Cabinet. This exclusion is likely to fuel discontent in those regions, with leaders from these areas now looking to future cabinet reshuffles for opportunities.
The average age of the new Cabinet is 55.38 years, with the youngest being 36-year-old Aditi Tatkare from the NCP, and the oldest being 74-year-old Ganesh Naik from the BJP. Interestingly, 18 of the 39 new ministers are first-time appointees, signaling a move towards introducing fresh faces into the political fold.
Shiv Sena and NCP Get Key Posts
The Shiv Sena, which has been a key ally in the ruling alliance, secured several important ministries. Among the notable names is Gulabrao Patil, who has been entrusted with a senior role, along with Uday Samant and Shambhuraje Desai. The NCP’s Hasan Mushrif and Dhananjay Munde were also inducted as senior Cabinet ministers, while the party’s newer faces, such as Narhari Zirwal and Makarand Jadhav Patil, took on ministerial responsibilities for the first time.
Cabinet Expansion in Historical Context
This Cabinet expansion marks a significant moment in Maharashtra’s political history, as Nagpur hosted the swearing-in ceremony for the first time in 33 years. The last full Cabinet expansion event in Nagpur took place in 1991 under the Sudhakarrao Naik-led government. The move to hold the ceremony in the state’s second capital signifies a shift in the state’s political center of gravity.
Future Prospects: A Renewed Focus on Governance
With the state’s legislature session set to begin shortly, the new ministers will have to hit the ground running. Chief Minister Fadnavis and his allies have made it clear that the ministers’ performance will be continuously monitored, and their future in the Cabinet will depend on the results they deliver. This performance-based tenure is expected to be a defining feature of governance in Maharashtra, making it a test case for other states in India to follow.
In conclusion, while the Cabinet expansion represents a significant political milestone, the added condition of a mid-term performance audit is expected to keep the newly sworn-in ministers on their toes, ensuring that the alliance delivers on its promises to the people of Maharashtra.
