Congress councils of ministers to take oath on Christmas Day in MP, Chhattisgarh

Senior Correspondent

Newsbits.in

Bhopal/ Raipur: The much awaited swearing-in ceremony of the councils of ministers of the newly formed Congress governments in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh would be held on Christmas Day.

Sources have said that Congress president Rahul Gandhi has approved of the lists of the ministers for Kamal Nath and Bhupel Baghel led governments in the two states. In Madhya Pradesh, 22 ministers are likely to take oath while in Chhattisgarh, 10 ministers would assume office, sources mentioned.

The finalisation of names of ministers for both the states has taken quite some time though two very different political situations persist in them. In MP, the Congress fell just short of majority mark and is dependent on support of independents of Bahujan Samaj Party. In Chhattisgarh, the party got overwhelming majority.

However, the selection of ministers is always a tough choice for political parties as different equations like region, caste and political weightage has to be balanced. Also, the fact that Lok Sabha polls are just few months away, makes the selection process that much tougher, political watchers feel.

In Madhya Pradesh, chief minister Kamal Nath has already announced that first time MLAs would not be made ministers.