Sena, BJP spar over cabinet expansion

MUMBAI: The saffron allies could be headed for another showdown, this time over the proposed state cabinet expansion. While the Shiv Sena, buoyed by the BJP’s defeat in the Bihar Assembly polls, is demanding two more cabinet berths, the BJP leadership is clear that they can only offer two junior — minister of state (MoS) — posts.

“Shiv Sena and our powersharing formula was decided when they joined the government. There can be no dispute on that. They will get two MoS berths,” a senior BJP minister told HT.

The Sena, however, has spelt out its ambitions. Senior Sena leader and industries minister Subhash Desai said, “That agreement was made a year ago... things have now changed. There are demands from some quarters and a discussion within our party that we should get two cabinet-rank portfolios, even though we have not made a formal demand so far.”

Desai added that the BJP is yet to communicate to them about the cabinet expansion.

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