Maharashtra BJP on Monday held parleys with its smaller allies regarding accommodating them in the proposed cabinet expansion slated to take place before the winter session of the state legislature beginning December 7 in Nagpur.
Maharashtra BJP chief Raosaheb Danve met Republican Party of India (RPI) leader Ramdas Athavale, Rashtriya Samaj Paksha chief Mahadev Jankar, Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghtana leader Raju Shetti at the official residence of PWD Minister Chandrakant Patil.
Also present were Sadabhau Khot of Swabimani Shetkari Sangthana and Vinayak Mete of Shiv sangram party.
Mete and Jankar are members of the Maharashtra Legislative Council.
Danve told reporters the date of Cabinet expansion will be decided by BJP core committee headed by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis which will meet tonight. "The meeting took place in a cordial atmosphere. The allies did not put any preconditions," he added.
The government can have a maximum of 42 ministers in the state.
The state PWD Minister Chandrakant Patil had recently told PTI that out of the 12 vacancies in the ministry - BJP will keep six, two will be given to Shiv Sena and four to the smaller allies.
"It is not yet clear whether Fadnavis will fill in the six vacancies from the BJP quota as yet," he had said.