The induction of the NCP group led by Ajit Pawar in the Maharashtra cabinet has dented the prospects of ministerial aspirants from BJP and Shiv Sena leaving some of them upset and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is aware of this feeling, Shiv Sena MP Gajanan Kirtikar said.
He asserted that Maharashtra, which sends 48 representatives to the Lok Sabha, is a critical state for the Bharatiya Janta Party to increase this total. The BJP has set itself the goal of winning 350 seats in the Lok Sabha elections.
With NCP coming on board, the target of winning 40-42 LS seats from Maharashtra can be achieved. After winning Lok Sabha (elections), the Assembly (polls) can be won easily, the Mumbai North West MP said. The scope of ministerial aspirants from BJP and Shiv Sena minimised after NCP joined the government. This has upset some MLAs. The chief minister is aware of this, Kirtikar, who shifted his loyalties to CM Shinde a few months ago, told PTI.
With the induction of nine ministers from the Ajit Pawar camp, the strength of the Shinde-Fadnavis cabinet has gone up to 29, leaving 14 posts vacant.