Shivraj indication rakes up MP cabinet expansion issue; names fly again

Senior Correspondent

NewsBits.in

Bhopal: The recent pronouncement of chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan about pending cabinet expansion has heated up the issue again and names of probable inclusions as also possible exclusions have started flying at will.

Chouhan gave a very clear indication about impending cabinet expansion on last week at Rewa while addressing the two-day state executive meeting of BJP. The CM also said that the pre-announced ‘happiness ministry’ would be constituted along with the expansion.

Immediately after the CM’s pronouncement, speculations became rife that the octogenarian home minister Babulal Gaur was likely to be dropped and transport minister Bhupendra Singh, considered close to the CM, might replace him.

Also there are speculations that another senior minister Sartaj Singh, currently public works department (PWD) minister might be dropped. The reasons being cited is the growing age of the ministers and their underperformance.

Also there have been talks about Chouhan wanting to remove Yashodhara Raje Scindia from the industry department and bring in energy minister Rajendra Shukla there.

However, the counter arguments are that Gaur is a very popular leader who has won 10 assembly elections while Sartaj Singh is the only Sikh face in the cabinet. Also, the BJP unit might not want to alienate Scindia family, which has a strong political influence.

So, political watchers say, Shivraj is not likely to make any drastic change in the current set up and is rather likely to fill up most of the vacant berths to pave way for inclusion of leaders who have till now been left out.

There are about 11 berths open in the Shivraj cabinet as currently only 23 ministers are there. There is likelihood of filling up at least 6-7 of the available berths, sources said.

Among the names considered frontrunners for cabinet berths are two-time Bhopal MLA Vishwas Sarang, former school education minister Archana Chitnis, Gwalior-based senior MLA Jaibhan Singh Pawaiyya, ex-minister Kailash Chawla, MLAs Chandrabhan Singh and Usha Thakur, among others. Minister of state for school education Deepak Joshi might get a cabinet rank.