CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan gives final touches to cabinet expansion, Congress defectors may get berth
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has begun to give final touches to the ensuing cabinet expansion.
Chouhan went to the BJP office on Sunday and discussed with state party president VD Sharma and organisation secretary Suhas Bhagat.
Both Chouhan and Bhagat separately talked about the issue. Bhagat is playing an important role in ministry expansion and the BJP’s central leadership is also taking interest in the matter.
According to sources, the matter was also discussed with the central leaders of the party through video conference.
As the number of aspirants for ministerial berth is high, the party organisation as well as Chouhan is facing difficulties in selecting candidates.
The party is opposed to inducting those legislators who had already been ministers in the previous BJP government.
Some of the senior legislators who never had a cabinet berth want to be ministers and they are pulling strings for that.
It is because of the opposition by senior legislators that Chouhan is unable to induct his supporters into the cabinet.
The central leadership of the party also wants to give cabinet berths to some of the new candidates, so both party organisation and the chief minister are working on it.
Five members have already been inducted into the cabinet. Nevertheless, only 30 legislators can be inducted into the cabinet.
Since Chouhan wants to keep six berths vacant, only 24 legislators can be accommodated.
Issue of Scindia supporters discussed
Supporters of former MP Jyotiraditya Scindia have to be accommodated in the cabinet. Scindia wants eight of his supporters in the cabinet. Two former legislators and Scindia supporters have already been inducted into the cabinet. Six of Scindia supporters were ministers in the Congress government and four more have to be accommodated. Scindia is pulling strings for two more supporters.
Some Cong defectors to get berth
Some former Congress legislators who crossed over to the BJP like Aindal Singh Kansana, Bisahulal Singh and Hardeep Singh Dang may get cabinet berths.
