It is nearly a month after a two-man Government was installed in Maharashtra on June 30. Shiv Sena rebel Eknath Shinde formed the new government with BJP top leader Devendra Fadnavis as Deputy Chief Minister and ever since then the wait for Cabinet expansion is not ending.Shinde has told a national newspaper in Mumbai that it will be done in three days.
Many experts from the legal, political and Parliamentary affairs and even media feel that the wait is due to cases filed by both Uddhav Thackeray and Shinde camp as they are locked in a legal battle over disqualification of rebel MLAs. The Supreme Court will take the all important hearing on August 01 and Chief Justice N V Ramana has referred to a five-Judge Constitution Bench headed by himself.
Till than the fate of the Shinde-Fadnavis government hangs in balance.Though no party or responsible person from the Government side or for that matter ruling political party side has publicly acknowledged this fact but it remains a fact.
The situation is tricky because no one can predict the outcome of apex court verdict. Although top legal brains including Harish Salve and Abhishek Manu Singhvi are putting out their best of legal arguments citing case laws, none of the party is doubly sure of the outcome.
Since the new government was installed after a lot of hectic political activities, shocks, after shocks and turmoil from the day Shinde with some MLAs quietly sneaked in to Surat to sound the bugle of rebellion.From Surat to Guwahati and to Goa and finally back to Mumbai. And therefore at no cost the Shinde-Fadnavis will allow the government to face any embarrassment.
In any case the much awaited Cabinet expansion in all possibility will take place next week after Monday when the Apex Court delivers its verdict.
.. Joseph Rao- Senior Journalist
