Maharashtra Cabinet to be expanded today

MUMBAI - The council of ministers in the new Maharashtra Government is all set to take oath today.

The expansion of the 11-member Ministry will take place at Raj Bhavan this evening.

Earlier, Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan clarified that there is no difference of opinion between Congress and the NCP.

He, however, refused to reveal the number of Congress ministers being sworn in and their portfolios.

“There will be some vacancies and some new faces,” he said.

Meanwhile, senior NCP leader and Union Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel gave a clear indication that old formula of 23:20 would stay between the ruling alliance in Maharashtra.

Talking to reporters, he said in the last one year Congress and NCP had run the government smoothly.

Patel’s statement comes after Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar demanded for additional portfolio for the NCP.

With the name of former Chief Minister Ashok Chavan cropping up in connection with the Adarsh Housing society scam, Prithviraj Chavan was sworn-in as Chief Minister of Maharashtra on November 11. (ANI)