Chief minister Vijay Rupani expanded his cabinet on Saturday by inducting three ministers, including Congress turncoat Jawahar Chavda, who joined the BJP just a day earlier.

Chavda, who represented the Manavadar seat in the assembly until his resignation yesterday, took oath as cabinet minister at a simple and hurriedly organised ceremony at Raj Bhavan in the presence of chief minister Vijay Rupani, deputy CM Nitin Patel, and a few others, this afternoon.

Seven-term MLA Yogesh Patel, who represents Manjalpur seat in Vadodara, and Jamnagar North MLA Dharmendrasinh Jadeja, who had joined BJP just before the 2017 assembly elections, were inducted in the cabinet as ministers of state.

The state government said in a release that the three ministers were administered oath of office and secrecy by Governor OP Kohli. The newly inducted ministers told reporters that they would work for the state's development.

As a result of these inductions, the size of the Vijay Rupani-led Cabinet swelled to 25, just two less than the maximum 27 the state government can have as per rules.

Deputy chief minister Nitin Patel said that the three new ministers would be allocated portfolios later.

Chavda, who was elected to the assembly four times from Manavadar, had resigned as MLA and quit Congress on Friday afternoon. He had joined the BJP in the evening, and made a minister in less than 24 hours. Chavda will have to get elected to the assembly within six months.

Dharmendrasinh Jadeja, two-time MLA from Jamnagar North, has been given a place in the ministry with an eye on Kshatriya votes in Saurashtra in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. He is also a former Congress MLA, and had quit the party months before the 2017 polls. The induction of Congress turncoats in the ministry, while their own claims are overlooked, is likely to upset many BJP MLAs, admitted party leaders.

Seven-term MLA Yogesh Patel is one of the senior-most MLAs in the state assembly, and his induction means Vadodara city is now represented in the cabinet. Rupani had also expanded the cabinet in July to induct veteran Congress leader Kunvarji Bavaliya hours after he quit the Congress.

KNOW THE NEW MINISTERS

(Left to Right): Jawahar Chavda, Yogesh Patel and Dharmendrasinh Jadeja

Jawahar Chavda, who took oath as cabinet minister today, is the son of Pethalji Chavda, a highly influential and respected political leader in Junagadh. Javahar Chavda was elected as MLA from Manavadar constituency in Junagadh in 2017 elections on a Congress ticket. He resigned as MLA on Friday. He was also elected on the Congress’s symbol in 1990, 2007 and 2012 elections. He is the chairman of Junagadh District Cooperative Bank, and is also actively involved with the Manavadar APMC since 1988.

Patel took oath as minister of state today. A diploma in engineering, Patel been an MLA since 1990, and is among the senior-most legislators in the Gujarat assembly. He was elected from Manjalpur in Vadodara city in 2017 and this is his seventh consecutive term as MLA. A highly vocal leader, Patel had been critical of the state government both in the House and outside over various issues. He was also unhappy at Vadodara city being given due representation in the cabinet, though it wouldn’t be the case any more.

Jadeja, who was appointed as minister of state today, represents Jamnagar (North) seat in the assembly. He was elected to the assembly on a Congress ticket in 2012, but had resigned after cross-voting in the Rajya Sabha elections in August 2017. He had joined the BJP later, and had contested in the 2017 polls on a BJP ticket. He is associated with various organisations, community bodies, charitable trusts, and other activities since his student days.