Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the cabinet expansion carried out Sunday was for regional balance and to create an opportunity for other party workers to serve, and no one was dropped for "poor performance".
Thirteen ministers were inducted into the state government Sunday, and six serving ministers tendered their resignations to the CM, all of which were accepted.
Speaking on the eve of the monsoon session of the Maharashtra legislature, Fadnavis said, "We wanted to present new faces as well as create a regional balance. No one in the cabinet was removed because of poor performance. The new team will perform better."
Commenting on a Lokayukta report related to outgoing Housing Minister Prakash Mehta's alleged land deal, Fadnavis said, "The report is going to be presented in the House. I cannot comment on it now."
Speaking on former Congressman Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil's induction into the cabinet, the Maharashtra CM claimed, "I have been doing developmental work and that is why new people are joining the BJP."
With Sunday's expansion, the Fandavis government now has 41 ministers.
Explaining the cabinet size mathematics, a BJP leader said, "Six MLAs have resigned from the House in the last six months. This has reduced the strength of the Assembly to 282 from 288. Rules specify that the cabinet size cannot be more than 15 per cent of the strength of the Assembly. Due to this, the cabinet size can be only 42, down from 43."
There are 42 ministers in the government currently including chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.
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