Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis left for Delhi on Thursday, reportedly for discussions with senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders to give final touches to the list of ministers to be inducted into the Eknath Shinde government.
Shinde, who rebelled against his former boss Uddhav Thackeray leading to the fall of the coalition government of the Sena, NCP and Congress, is said to be unwell. He has cancelled all official engagements as well, including two meetings.
“The Chief Minister was feeling unwell due to over exertion in the last few days. So he decided to take a day off to rest,” Shinde’s office said in a statement.
The current cabinet in the western state comprises only Shinde and his deputy, both of whom were sworn in on June 30, a day after Thackeray resigned as the Maharashtra chief minister.
Also read | Maharashtra third state govt to run without ministers for a month
Meanwhile, Deepak Kesarkar, spokesperson of the Shinde camp, said the cabinet expansion will be held before Sunday.
Last week, Shinde had said the cabinet will be expanded soon. “Very soon expansion of the state cabinet will take place. We have taken many major decisions ever since we have taken charge. The state government is standing with the farmers. We have ensured no government work is stuck. The projects that are of interest to the people are not affected,” Shinde said.
Meanwhile, in a breather for the Thackeray-led group, the Supreme Court asked the Election Commission not to take any decision for now on the Shinde faction’s plea that it be considered the real Shiv Sena and granted the party poll symbol.
A bench, headed by Chief Justice NV Ramana, said it would take a call by Monday on referring the matters related to the recent Maharashtra political crisis to a constitution bench.
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