Mumbai: The reshuffle of NCP ministers in the Maharashtra government is expected to take place on Tuesday.
Party sources said resignations of the ministers, which are being received by Union Agriculture Minister and NCP president Sharad Pawar, are likely to be forwarded to the Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan in the evening, who will then forward them to the Governor.
The swearing-in of new ministers may take place on Tuesday.
In a surprise move on Friday night, Pawar asked all the 20 ministers of his party to submit resignations, in an exercise apparently aimed at image make-over ahead of the 2014 elections.
The party has indicated that new faces will be inducted.
Senior NCP leader and Union Minister Praful Patel told reporters on Saturday that the state unit president Madhukar Pichad would be inducted as minister and another person would replace him in his organisational post.
The exercise of securing the resignations paved the way for possible changes of representatives who would occupy cabinet posts.
While on one hand, some ministers may by drafted for party work prior to next year’s Lok Sabha and Maharashtra assembly elections, other key party functionaries may be inducted into the cabinet, the official said.
“This is an internal matter of the NCP. The party chief will decide whether new faces should be inducted into the central and Maharashtra cabinets, and assigning fresh responsibilities to various leaders,” a party official added.
The developments assume significance amid speculation of cabinet reshuffles both at the centre and in Maharashtra.
Founded in 1999, the 14-year old NCP is a key constituent of the ruling United Progressive Alliance at the centre and is a partner in the Democratic Front government in Maharshtra.
The NCP has nine Lok Sabha Members and seven Rajya Sabha members, plus three cabinet ministers at the centre – Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, Heavy Industries Minister Praful Patel and Minister of State for Agriculture Tariq Anwar.
In Maharashtra, the NCP has 15 cabinet ministers, including the post of deputy chief minister occupied by Ajit Pawar, and five ministers of state. It has 62 legislators in the state. (Agencies)
