Deputy Chief Minister and NCP President Ajit Pawar said on Thursday that the newly elected 288 members of the 15th Assembly will take oath on December 7 and 8.

On December 9 Governor, C.P. Radhakrishnan will address the joint session, and the election to the post of Assembly Speaker will be held. Besides, the Mahayuti government led by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will seek a floor test on the same day.

Pawar said that after the oath-taking function, the Chief Minister accompanied by two Dy CMs (Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde) will visit Chaityabhoomi at Dadar to pay homage to BR Ambedkar on his death anniversary (Mahaparinirvan Din). The Maharashtra government has declared a public holiday in Mumbai on December 6. All government offices in Mumbai City and Mumbai Suburban district will be closed on Friday. Moreover, liquor shops will be shut.

Further, Pawar said that he would meet NCP leaders during the session and after that will discuss issues relating to the cabinet berths. He indicated that the Mahayuti partners comprising BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP will also huddle over a formula for the allocation of the number of cabinet berths among the three of them and also about the distribution of portfolios. BJP has already rejected Shinde’s demand for the home department though has agreed to allot the urban development department.

Pawar said that the cabinet expansion may take place on December 11 or 12 before the winter session of the state legislature slated to begin on December 16 at Nagpur. The session will take place from December 16 to 21 while on December 15 the Chief Minister will organise a customary tea meeting with the opposition members after chairing the state cabinet.

The Mahayuti sources said that Ajit Pawar, who is expected to retain the finance and planning departments, will present the supplementary demands. It will be necessary to finance ongoing expenses and also a slew of welfare and development schemes, including Ladki Bahin Yojana worth Rs 96,000 crore announced by Ajit Pawar ahead of the state Assembly election.

Ajit Pawar had tabled the supplementary demands worth Rs 94,000 crore on July 9 after the presentation of an annual budget of Rs 6,12,293 crore for the year 2024-25.

Moreover, the state government may announce the complete crop loan waiver for farmers and its roadmap to stabilise the prices of essential commodities across the state ensuring these remain affordable for the common man. These were among the 10 promises made by Mahayuti in the run-up to the Assembly election.