CHHATRAPATI SAMBHAJINAGAR/NASHIK: NCP leader couldn't be more ironic.

Shinde and the 39 MLAs, who raised a rebellion in the Shiv Sena, had last year blamed Ajit Pawar, as the then finance minister, of not allocating funds for their constituencies.

Moreover, they had blamed the NCP for trying to destroy the Shiv Sena.Now with Ajit Pawar and some prominent NCP MLAs sworn in as ministers, there is likely to be unease within the Shinde-led Shiv Sena regarding their prospects.

Maharashtra has a cabinet limit of 43 ministers and had 20 ministers till Sunday.

The induction of Ajit Pawar and eight other NCP leaders leaves 14 vacancies.Shinde and deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had in the past couple of days said a cabinet expansion was on the cards this month.

This had raised the hopes of many within the BJP and Shiv Sena, but the twist on Sunday has put them on the back foot.Aurangabad West MLA Sanjay Shirsat and Mahad MLA Bharat Gogawale, who is also the chief whip of the Shiv Sena Legislative Party, were among leaders from the Shinde camp who were vocal about the demand for the ministerial berth.

Independent MLA Bacchu Kadu, who has sided with Shinde by leaving the Uddhav Thackeray group, was also a top contender for the ministerial berth.

Kadu, who leads the Prahar Janshakti Party, was expecting to head the newly-formed department for Divyangs (differently-abled).

Shirsat and Kadu did not respond to calls.Kalamnuri MLA Santosh Bangar had also publicly expressed his wish of becoming a minister during the cabinet expansion.

The name of the Shinde camp MLA from Khanapur, Anil Babar, was also doing the rounds for the cabinet expansion.

While the Shinde-Fadnavis government did not have any female ministers so far, Nashik Central MLA Devayani Farande and Parvati (Pune) MLA Madhuri Misal were considered as possible names from the BJP camp for ministerial berths.State water supply minister and Shiv Sena MLA from Jalgaon rural Gulabrao Patil claimed that the state government will undertake another round of expansion after July 10.

" As far as our party is concerned, we welcome the NCP MLAs," Patil.03:17NCP supporters smear black ink on posters of leaders who joined Eknath Shinde GovtWatchAjit Pawar claims support of 'almost all NCP MLAs', lauds Modi govt as he joins state govt