Maharashtra cabinet: Devendra Fadnavis keeps Home Ministry, Eknath Shinde gets 3 portfolios

Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde bagged three ministries including the portfolios of Urban Development, Housing, and Public Works.

Ajit Pawar, the second Deputy Chief Minister, was assigned the key Finance Ministry and State Excise portfolio.

Besides home ministry, Fadnavis will also hold energy, law and judiciary, general administration, information and publicity as well as departments/subjects not allowed to any other minister.

The portfolios were allocated after the weeklong winter session of the state Legislature ended on Saturday.

The strength of the Devendra Fadnavis-led cabinet is 42, one short of the permissible limit under the legislative norms.

Hours before the big announcement, state minister Girish Mahajan said that "he believes a unanimous decision has been reached" between Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his Deputies over portfolio allocation.

Out of 230, the BJP dominated the Maharashtra Assembly Election with a tremendous strike rate, winning 132, the highest ever by the saffron party in the state. A total of 39 ministers were inducted ahead of the Winter Session on December 15.