2 vacant state Cabinet posts likely to be filled this month

Mumbai: With barely a year remaining for the Vidhan Sabha polls, two vacant posts in the Cabinet are likely to be filled up in coming days. According to sources, Sanjay Kute from the BJP and Dr Sujit Minchekar from the Sena are the front runners for these posts.

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had recently hinted that the Cabinet berths will be filled before the election code of conduct for the Lok Sabha polls is imposed. If it happens, the vacant posts will be filled this month, said sources.

The extended term of health minister Dr Dee-pak Sawant from Shiv Sena will be coming to an end on January 7, w-hereas one berth from BJP quota has been ly-ing vacant since the death of agriculture mi-nister Pandurang Fundkar.

Dr Sawant, whose term was ended on July 7 last year, was given an extension of six months. “Dr Minchekar is likely to be a favourite as he had helped the Sena win five seats in Kolhapur district in the 2014 Assembly polls despite the Modi wave. He is likely to be rewarded,” said Sena insider. Minchekar is a two-time Sena legislator from Hatkanangale assembly constituency.

For the BJP, Sanjay Kute, a three-times legislator from Jalgaon Jamod from Buldhana district, is likely to replace Fundkar. An Ayurvedic doctor by profession, he belongs to the Other Backward Classes community.