The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Sunday claimed that expansion of Union Cabinet by the Central Government is politically motivated, adding that the decision has been taken by keeping the upcoming elections in Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir and Jharkhand in mind.
"This expansion appears to be politically motivated as much as it has kept in mind the forthcoming elections in Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir and Jharkhand. The BJP wants to please everybody. The Prime Minister Narendra Modi government wants to make itself politically stronger and therefore this decision was taken," NCP leader Majeed Memon told ANI.
Memon further said that the BJP has betrayed its slogan of 'minimum government and maximum governance' by increasing the size of the Cabinet.
"We already have a jumbo ministry despite promises made by the BJP that they would have a 'minimum government and maximum governance'. I think they have betrayed this slogan by making a very large ministry. They have betrayed their promise of austerity and of a very compact and minimum number of ministers," he added.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inducted Four Cabinet Ministers, three Ministers of State (Independent Charge) and 14 Ministers of State in his first Cabinet expansion since assuming power in May this year.