Shiv Sena will formally become part of the BJP-led state government in Maharashtra today as the expansion of Devendra Fadnavis-led cabinet will take place this evening. After 70 days of speculation and negotiations, Shiv Sena and BJP yesterday announced continuation of their 25 year-old alliance.

The coming together of the two saffron parties was announced by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at a joint press conference with senior Shiv Sena leaders in Mumbai yesterday. He said that totally 12 ministers from Shiv Sena will be inducted in the ministry including 5 cabinet ministers and 7 state ministers. He said, in the first state cabinet expansion ten ministers from Shiv Sena and 10 ministers from BJP will take oath at Vidhan Sabha premises this evening. He also said that two more ministries will be given to Shiv Sena in coming days. He also said that there will be no deputy chief minister in the government.

According to Sources, senior Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde, Ramdas Kadam, Diwakar Rawate, Subhash Desai and Deepak Sawant are likely to get cabinet berths. From BJP Girish Mahajan, Girish Bapat, Baban Lonikar, Chandrashekhar Bawankule and Rajkumar Badole are likely to get cabinet ministries.
Prominent from those expected to become ministers of state from BJP are Vijay Deshmukh, Ram Shinde and Raje Ambarish Maharaj while from Shiv Sena- Deepak Kesarkar, Sanjay Rathod and Vijay Shivtare would be inducted into the ministry.

The Fadnavis government will now have a strength of 185 in an House of 288 with the addition of 63 Sena MLAs. The BJP government in the state at present is in minority status in the assembly, and it was essential for the party to get Shiv Sena’s support to meet the 144-mark on the floor of the house.