Shiv Sena to finally join Devendra Fadnavis government - Economic Times

MUMBAI: After months of bickering and posturing, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Monday that talks between the BJP and Shiv Sena are headed in the right direction, and the two parties are close to clinching a deal on the issue of power sharing.

The cabinet expansion is likely to happen on or before Thursday, and the Sena will probably be given four to five cabinet positions and a similar number of MoS posts, said top leaders of both parties, paving the way for a reconciliation of the old allies, who had drifted apart after the state elections.

"Our talks with Shiv Sena have been very positive and we have sorted out over 80% of the issues. I am very positive about the outcome, but would request certain leaders from both sides, who aren't involved in the talks, to refrain from making comments," Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Monday.

Fadnavis was obviously referring to Sena leader Ramdas Kadam who had publicly claimed a few days ago that Sena's participation in the BJP-led government was ruled out.

"We will not be facing the winter session of the Maharashtra assembly with only the current strength of ministers," Fadnavis said, reaffirming that there will be a cabinet expansion. An official at Mantralaya said that the swearing-in of the new ministers will probably take place on or before Thursday.

On Sunday night, two senior leaders of the Sena met Fadnavis at his residence and discussed the powersharing formula, with Sena president Uddhav Thackeray directing his partymen to stay mum on the talks. But one Sena leader, aware of the developments, informally told ET that Sena does not have much of an issue with the number of seats in the cabinet, but are very concerned about what portfolios they are given. "We want to make sure that portfolios that have some sort of a connect with people are given to us," said the leader on the condition of anonymity.

Thackeray's private secretary Milind Narvekar met Fadnavis again on Monday morning, confirming the back-and-forth that's going on among the top leadership over how many MoS positions that the party would settle for. A top leader from the BJP's state unit said that Public Works Department (PWD) is almost certainly going to be given to the Shiv Sena. Apart from this, Sena is also asking for Water Resources and the MoS post in the Home Ministry. Some details about the other portfolios have to be sorted out, hinted Narvekar.

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