Maharashtra Cabinet Ministers List: Mahayuti’s 21-12-10 Formula In Focus

Following the Maharashtra Assembly Election, a significant victory was celebrated by the Mahayuti, comprising the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Shiva led by Eknath Shinde, and Ajit Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP The alliance triumphed with an unprecedented win of 236 seats out of the state's assembly polls. The BJP alone secured 132 seats, Shiv Sena got 57, and the NCP won 41 seats. This victory has led to discussions about the formation of the new government and the distribution of ministerial positions based on the election results.

In light of their remarkable win, the alliance is considering a cabinet formation strategy. The likely arrangement for ministerial positions is a distribution formula of 21-12-10, correlating with the number of seats each party won. Consequently, the BJP is expected to hold the majority in the cabinet with 21 ministers, followed by 12 from the Shiv Sena and 10 from the NCP. This setup underscores the alliance's internal consensus on sharing power proportional to the electoral victory of each party.

Deliberations about the new cabinet's composition have already begun, with a preliminary discussion on a 21-12-10 formula for ministerial induction. The formula is indicative of the BJP's dominant share of 21 ministers, 12 for Shiv Sena, and 10 for the NCP, out of a total of 43 ministers. This arrangement reflects the electoral success of each party within the grand alliance. A visit by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar to Delhi is on the cards to further discuss the cabinet composition with the BJP's Central leadership, including Home Minister Amit Shah.

As the parties navigate these discussions, there's a growing expectation among the BJP ranks for Devendra Fadnavis to assume the chief ministerial role, whereas Shiv Sena advocates for Eknath Shinde's continuity in the position. Meanwhile, the NCP faction, buoyed by their electoral performance, is rallying for Ajit Pawar to be the next chief minister. Chhagan Bhujbal, a re-elected veteran leader from the NCP, emphasized, "Considering the NCP's strike rate, Ajit Pawar can be the chief minister."

The allocation of ministerial roles is anticipated to be in line with the electoral gains of the three alliance partners. An analysis suggests that for every six to seven MLAs, one ministerial post will be allocated, translating to 22 to 24 ministerial positions for the BJP, 10 to 12 for Shiv Sena, and 8 to 10 for NCP. This allocation strategy adheres to the existing norms that cap the council of ministers at 43 members, including the chief minister.

Despite the internal consensus on ministerial distribution, the decision on the chief minister's post remains pending and is expected to be finalized during discussions with the BJP's central leadership in Delhi. Chandrashekhar Bawankule, the State BJP chief, indicated that discussions regarding the chief ministerial candidate are underway, with a decision yet to be reached. The leadership of Mahayuti is poised to formally stake a claim for government formation soon, with the swearing-in ceremony potentially scheduled by Wednesday.