Maharashtra portfolio: Finance for Ajit Pawar, home for deputy CM Jayant Patil likely

NEW DELHI: Senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar, who became the deputy chief minister in Devandra Fadnavis’ three-day ministry, is likely to become the finance minister in the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi coalition government.

According to the portfolio-sharing arrangement that is being worked out by the three main parties, NCP’s Jayant Patil, who has already been sworn in as a minister, could become the deputy chief minister and given the home portfolio.

As per the tentative agreement, the 56 member Shiv Sena will have 10 portfolios, NCP which has 54 MLAs will get 7 plus the deputy chief ministership and the 44-member Congress will get 6 ministerial berths.


The Speaker’s post is occupied by a Congress MLA. Cabinet ministers and ministers of state will be inducted in the ministry expansion which will take place after the conclusion of the five-day winter session of the state assembly that begins on Monday. Allotment of portfolios too will be done then. Maharashtra has a tradition of allotting the home portfolio to an ally of the CM’s party.

Former Congress chief ministers Ashok Chavan and Prithiviraj Chavan are learnt to be ready to accept Cabinet portfolios of PWD and energy, respectively. However, many ministerial aspirant Congress MLAs resent this and are trying to get the Congress central leadership to veto the idea. But, portfolios negotiators of the three allies have counted the Chavans in. PCC chief Balasahab Thorat is likely to get the revenue portfolio.

As per the agreement, Shiv Sena will have the portfolios of urban land, industry, agriculture, water resources, higher education, transport, law, Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation and language and culture. The NCP is likely to get portfolios of housing, co-operatives, medical education, rural development and labour, apart from home and finance.

The Congress is likely to get revenue, PWD, energy, excise, primary education and women’s welfare. The coalition is likely to hold back some portfolios for future distribution. Aaditya Thackeray is unlikely to become a minister during this round of expansion.