Maharashtra Cabinet Expansion: Hours after 39 Mahayuti leaders were sworn-in as Cabinet Ministers, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis addressed a press conference along with Deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar in Nagpur.
During the press conference, Fadnavis stated that six ministers out of the 39 inducted are state ministers and that a clear picture regarding portfolio allotment will emerge in the next two days. The Maharashtra CM also said that the state government will undertake a performance audit of every minister to assess if they are working up to the mark. "If we find that a minister is not performing up to the mark, then we will rethink about that particular minister," he saiḍ.
"39 leaders have taken oath today, 6 of them are state ministers. In two days, it will be cleared who will be given which portfolio. Discussion on the speech of the Governor in this session. 20 bills will come in this session. The opposition gave a letter. A paragraph on EVM has been added to the letter of the last session. The letter has been answered earlier as well, it will be answered as many times as questions are asked. I want to tell them that EVM means Every Vote for Maharashtra," Fadnavis said.
Deputy CM Eknath Shinde congratulated Fadnavis on the oath taking of the new cabinet ministers, stressing that the Mahayuti allies will continue to work as a team and that the decisions will be taken in a dynamic manner.
"For the last few days we were seeing who is getting how many departments. This convention is being held in Nagpur, I congratulate Devendra ji...The match is new, the opposition is the same. We have worked as a team. Devendra ji and Ajit Dada are with me. I said earlier also that I will bring 200 MLAs, Ajit Pawar coming is a bonus. We have responsibility towards the public. Decisions will be taken in a dynamic manner," he said.
Reacting to the opposition's EVM rigging allegations, Shinde said: "A letter has been given regarding EVM. Everyone has seen the work we did. 86 cabinet meetings were held and 850 decisions were taken. Even after this, we will work as a team. After winning in Karnataka, Jharkhand and these places, they say that EVM is good and if they lose, they blame the Election Commission. We will nurture everything that has been given to us."
Shinde also stated that the opposition did not get a leader of LoP and that it did not attend the oath taking ceremony despite invitation.
"The situation is such that the opposition did not even get a leader of LoP. The public has shown that they are standing behind the people who work. We had invited them (opposition) and I thought they would come (to the oath taking ceremony). The public has boycotted these people. They took us lightly for 2.5 years," he said.
Deputy CM Ajit Pawar also said that the Mahayuti governent will start work in the coming days and will not ignore the opposition despite their numbers.
"The opposition has boycotted it, this has been happening for many years. The Mahayuti government came on the 23rd and the cabinet was sworn in today. The final form was taken today and the work will be started in the coming days...We will never ignore them (opposition) because their number is less," the NCP chief said.