Check out the list of Shiv Sena leaders who have made it into the Maharashtra cabinet

Sanjay Rathod, 53
Constituency: Digras
Sanjay Rathod is a four-term MLA from Digras constituency of Yavatmal district. Rathod, considered to be a strongman from Digras, was the Minister for Food and Drugs Administration in the Eknath Shinde-led government. During the MVA government in 2019, he was appointed as minister of Forest, Disaster Management, Relief and Rehabilitation. However,he had to resign in 2021 after the controversial Pooja Chavan suicide case in which his name was embroiled.

Uday Samant, 48
Constituency: Ratnagiri
Shiv Sena leader from Konkan’s Ratnagiri was the industries minister in the Eknath Shinde-led government and has been a spokesperson of the Shinde Sena. During his tenure as industries minister, he has been in news owing to the allegations of several mega industrial projects shifting out of the state. Another controversy surrounding his ministry was the petrochemical refinery project in Konkan which witnessed several protests by the locals. During the MVA government, he was the minister of Higher and Technical Education. Samant was elected from Ratnagiri in 2004 and 2009 as NCP candidate. He quit the NCP in 2014 to join Sena.

Shambhuraj Shivajirao Desai, 58
Constituency: Patan
A native of Satara district in western Maharashtra, Desai is a four-term MLA from Patan and was the state Excise Minister during the previous Mahayuti government. During the MVA government, Desai was a minister of state for Home (Rural), Finance and Planning and Excise, and was also appointed the guardian minister of Washim district. Desai had also held positions like member of Zilla Parishad in Satara and Chairman of Maharashtra Cooperation Council.

Sanjay Shirsat, 63
Constituency: Aurangabad West
Shirsat, who represents Aurangabad West, is a four-term MLA and a Sena spokesperson. Like Gogawale, he was in the first batch of MLAs to join Shinde in his rebellion in 2022 and was aspiring to become the minister. However was not inducted in the Shinde-led cabinet. Just ahead of the Assembly polls, he was appointed as a chairperson of CIDCO with a ministerial rank.

Pratap Sarnaik, 60
Constituency: Ovala-Majiwada
A businessman-turned-politician, Sarnaika is a four-term MLA from Ovala-Majiwada constituency in Thane. Starting his political career with the NCP, Sarnaik switched to Shiv Sena in 2008 and was subsequently elected as MLA in 2009, 2014, 2019 and 2024. Sarnaik who was initially an auto-rickshaw driver in Thane, rose to ranks in politics and business and managed to become a big player in Thane’s real estate scene through his Vihang Group of Companies. In 2020, his residence and office were raided by the ED in connection with an alleged money laundering case.

Bharat Gogawale, 61
Constituency: Mahad
Gogawale is a four-term MLA from Mahad constituency in Raigad and is considered to be a close confidante of Eknath Shinde. Gogawale was in the first batch of Sena MLAs who joined Shinde in his rebellion Uddhav Thackeray in June 2022. He was appointed as spokesperson of the Shinde-led Sena as well as the chief whip of the legislature party in the assembly. However he was not inducted into the Shinde-led cabinet. Just ahead of the Assembly polls in September, he was was appointed the chairperson of Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) with a ministerial rank.

Prakas Abitkar,50
Constituency: Radhanagri
Abitkar is a three-term Sena MLA from Radhanagri constituency of Kolhapur. He contested elections for the Panchayat samiti and became a member at the age of 21. He became an MLA in 2014. Abitkar has contributed significantly to the cooperative sector movement. His influence in sugar cooperative politics is notable due to his family’s longstanding connection to the sector.