Key BJP leaders sworn in include Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Ashish Shelar, Ganesh Naik, Mangal Prabhat Lodha, Pankaja Munde, Girish Mahajan, Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, Chandrakant Patil, and Nitesh Rane. Shiv Sena ministers from Eknath Shinde’s faction, such as Shambhuraj Desai, Dadaji Bhuse, Uday Samant, and Sanjay Rathod, also took the oath. From the NCP, leaders Aditi Tatkare, Dhananjay Munde, and Hasan Mushrif were inducted.

The delay in cabinet expansion stemmed from intense wrangling over key portfolios. Shiv Sena, led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, sought high-profile ministries like home, but the BJP, firmly opposed, retained control. Since his first term as Chief Minister, Fadnavis has consistently overseen the home ministry, even during Shinde’s tenure as CM.

The expansion follows the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance’s resounding victory in the assembly election, where it secured 235 of 288 seats. The BJP emerged as the largest party with 132 seats, while the Shiv Sena and NCP won 57 and 41 seats, respectively.

The oath-taking ceremony, held at Raj Bhavan, was attended by Fadnavis, Shinde, and Ajit Pawar, marking a significant step in consolidating the power-sharing arrangement within the alliance. Despite lingering tensions, the formation of a near-full cabinet signals the coalition's readiness to govern the state with a united front.

Key BJP leaders sworn in include Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Ashish Shelar, Ganesh Naik, Mangal Prabhat Lodha, Pankaja Munde, Girish Mahajan, Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, Chandrakant Patil, and Nitesh Rane. Shiv Sena ministers from Eknath Shinde’s faction, such as Shambhuraj Desai, Dadaji Bhuse, Uday Samant, and Sanjay Rathod, also took the oath. From the NCP, leaders Aditi Tatkare, Dhananjay Munde, and Hasan Mushrif were inducted.

The delay in cabinet expansion stemmed from intense wrangling over key portfolios. Shiv Sena, led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, sought high-profile ministries like home, but the BJP, firmly opposed, retained control. Since his first term as Chief Minister, Fadnavis has consistently overseen the home ministry, even during Shinde’s tenure as CM.

The expansion follows the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance’s resounding victory in the assembly election, where it secured 235 of 288 seats. The BJP emerged as the largest party with 132 seats, while the Shiv Sena and NCP won 57 and 41 seats, respectively.

The oath-taking ceremony, held at Raj Bhavan, was attended by Fadnavis, Shinde, and Ajit Pawar, marking a significant step in consolidating the power-sharing arrangement within the alliance. Despite lingering tensions, the formation of a near-full cabinet signals the coalition's readiness to govern the state with a united front.