Mumbai: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde left for New Delhi on Monday, triggering fresh political speculation as discussions around the much-anticipated expansion of the Union Cabinet gather momentum. His visit comes days after his meeting with Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) chief Sharad Pawar, making the Delhi trip a closely watched political development.
Shinde Likely To Meet Senior BJP Leaders
According to reports by several Marathi news portals including TV9 Marathi, Shinde is expected to hold discussions with senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders during his visit. The development assumes significance as Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had also visited Delhi recently and met Union Home Minister Amit Shah, fuelling speculation over possible changes in both the Union Cabinet and Maharashtra’s political landscape.
The visit is also being seen in the backdrop of , under which six MPs from the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) faction recently joined the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. The induction is widely believed to have strengthened Shinde’s political standing within the NDA.
Political circles are abuzz with speculation that two of these newly inducted MPs could be accommodated in the upcoming Union Cabinet expansion. There is also discussion that Kalyan MP Shrikant Shinde’s name is under consideration for a ministerial berth at the Centre. However, there has been no official confirmation from either the BJP or the Shiv Sena.
The proposed Cabinet reshuffle is expected to induct new faces while reviewing the performance of existing ministers. Reports suggest that some current Union ministers could be dropped as part of the exercise, with Maharashtra likely to receive major representation.
Meanwhile, the names of Dharashiv MP Omraje Nimbalkar and Parbhani MP Sanjay alias Bandu Jadhav have also surfaced in political discussions as possible contenders for ministerial positions. However, no official announcement has been made.
Fadnavis To Be Shifted To Delhi?
Separately, political speculation has also intensified over the future leadership in Maharashtra. Unconfirmed reports have suggested that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis could be entrusted with a major responsibility at the Centre, while Eknath Shinde could once again be considered for the post of Maharashtra Chief Minister.
However, leaders from the ruling Mahayuti alliance have dismissed these claims as speculation, stating that no such decision has been officially discussed or announced. Shinde’s meetings in Delhi are now expected to provide clearer indications on the BJP-led NDA’s political strategy in the coming weeks.