Maharashtra Chief Minister (CM) Eknath Shinde is likely to expand the state cabinet after the Supreme Court (SC) hears pleas seeking disqualification of 16 Shiv Sena rebels, and the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction's plea challenging the Speaker's decision to recognise the new party whip of the Shinde group. The high court will hear all the pleas on July 11.
On June 30, Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari had administered the oath of office only to CM Eknath Shinde Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis. Fadnavis instructed reporters in Nagpur that the cabinet expansion will take place soon and he would hold talks with the CM about the distribution of ministerial portfolios. Last week, the SC agreed to hear on July 11 the plea of Shiv Sena's Sunil Prabhu seeking suspension from Assembly of 16 lawmakers, including the CM Eknath Shinde against whom disqualification pleas are pending.
