New Delhi: Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde allocated the Home portfolio to Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday, news agency PTI reported. According to the report, CM Shinde, who expanded his two-member cabinet on August 9 by inducting 18 ministers, has kept the Urban Development portfolio with himself. A statement issued by the Chief Minister’s Office said that Deputy CM Fadnavis will also handle the Finance and Planning ministry, and BJP minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil will be the new Revenue minister.
According to the statement, BJP minister Sudhir Mungantiwar has been made the Forest Minister, a portfolio he had handled earlier.
Former state BJP chief Chandrakant Patil is the new minister for higher and technical education. He will also look after parliamentary affairs.
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From the Shinde-led group of Shiv Sena rebels, Deepak Kesarkar is the new minister for school education and Abdul Sattar has been given the Agriculture portfolio.
Notably, Uddhav Thackeray was forced to step down from the post of the Chief Minister after Eknath Shinde, a senior leader from Shiv Sena, instigated a huge revolt along with the BJP.
Later, Eknath Shinde was rewarded by the saffron party with the post of Maharashtra Chief Minister. Devendra Fadnavis had taken the Deputy's job hours after announcing he would not be part of the government.
Having served as the Chief Minister earlier, Fadnavis had been concerned about a diminished role but was persuaded to take the job by his party.
It is to be noted that the Maharashtra cabinet was expanded on August 9, more than five weeks after Shinde was sworn in as the Chief Minister.
Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari administered the oath of office to 18 MLAs.