Sun Dec 15 15:49:42 UTC 2024: ## Shiv Sena MLA Resigns After Being Snubbed in Cabinet Shuffle
**Nagpur, Maharashtra –** A senior member of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s faction of the Shiv Sena, Narendra Bhondekar, resigned from his party post today after being excluded from the newly expanded Maharashtra cabinet. Bhondekar, a three-time MLA and deputy leader of the party, had reportedly been promised a ministerial position. His resignation follows unanswered messages to Shinde, senior leader Uday Samant, and Shinde’s son. He remains an MLA for the Bhandara-Pavani constituency.
The cabinet expansion, which took place today in Nagpur, saw 39 MLAs sworn in, bringing the total number of ministers to 42, including the Chief Minister and his deputies. The BJP secured 19 ministerial berths, the Shiv Sena 11, and the NCP 9. Several prominent figures, including Republican Party of India (RPI) chief Ramdas Athavale and Nationalist Congress Party’s Chaggan Bhujbal, were notably absent from the cabinet despite expectations. Athavale publicly expressed his disappointment, stating he would be contacting BJP President J.P. Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Deepak Kesarkar, the Primary Education Minister, also skipped the swearing-in ceremony.
The cabinet expansion comes over three weeks after the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance secured a resounding victory in the state assembly elections, winning 235 seats. The BJP emerged as the single largest party with 132 seats, followed by the Shiv Sena (57) and the NCP (41). Bhondekar’s resignation highlights the internal power dynamics within the ruling coalition and the fallout from the distribution of ministerial portfolios.
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