MP cabinet expansion ripples: Shivraj gets RSS summon to Nagpur

Special Correspondent

NewsBits.in

Bhopal: The ripples of discontent over cabinet expansion and reshuffle in Madhya Pradesh, especially the dropping of ministers over 75 year of age, are refusing to die down.

On Wednesday, chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan rushed to Nagpur to meet senior functionaries of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), including chief Mohan Bhagwat, reportedly after summon from the ideological mentor organization of the BJP.

The CM said he also discussed about the proposed 'happiness ministry' in MP.

Though Chouhan denied having talked about cabinet expansion/reshuffle issue and dismissed talks of discontent by saying ‘everyone in party is happy’, sources said that the CM was asked to explain the developments and its fallouts during the meeting.

The CM spent almost three hours meeting three senior functionaries – sarkaryavah (general secretary) Bhaiyyaji Joshi and sah-sarkaryavahs (joint general secretaries) Suresh Soni and Dattatraya Hosbole. They first met individually and then jointly.

Later he met RSS chief (sarsanghachalak) Mohan Bhagwat for about 45 minutes.

Sources said that the issue of serious discontent shown by senior leaders Babulal Gaur and Sartaj Singh on being dropped from cabinet citing old age was discussed during the meeting. A telephonic conversation with Gaur was also held.

The discontent of the leaders, dropped during June 30 expansion/reshuffle surfaced yet again on Tuesday as ministers of over 75 years age (Najma Heptullah and Kalraj Mishra) were retained in union cabinet of Narendra Modi.

However, the more important issue on which explanation was sought from Shivraj was about non-inclusion of certain MLAs that RSS was pushing and inclusion of some against its wishes. Among those being pushed by RSS are Sudarshan Gupta, Ramlal Rautel and Ranjana Baghel, while opposition was on names of Sanjay Pathak and Harsh Singh – both new entrants to BJP.

What would be the outcome of the meeting, especially with Shivraj Singh denying having discussed cabinet issue, is anybody’s guess.