Maharashtra finally gets ministers, 18 MLAs take oath today 

The Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government expanded its Cabinet on August 9, with the induction of 18 more MLAs- 9 each from BJP and from the Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction. The new inductees were sworn in as Ministers at the Raj Bhavan in Mumbai at 11 am.

In the first phase of expansion, around 15-18 ministers took the oath. The second phase of expansion will be held later. 

Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari administered the oath of office to 18 MLAs as ministers.

The Cabinet expansion comes over 40 days after Chief Minister Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis were sworn in after a rebellion led by the former toppled the Udhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government in the state.

The expansion is taking place over five weeks after Eknath Shinde took oath as new chief minister of Maharashtra on June 30. 

Maharashtra has been operating without a Cabinet since June when the rebellion by Shinde and 40 MLAs of Shiv Sena led to the collapse of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in the state. The new government was formed on June 30 and since then, CM Shinde and deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis have been the only two members of the cabinet.