BHOPAL: Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the BJP’s state unit president, VD Sharma, and the party’s organisational general secretary, Suhas Bhagat, have discussed about Cabinet expansion and the executive committee formation. The discussion continued for three hours on Friday.
In the Cabinet expansion, a few other BJP legislators may be sworn in along with Govind Rajput and Tulsi Silawat. Besides Silawat and Rajput, an accord on who else will be sworn in has eluded the party organisation.
The names of Rampal Singh, Rajendra Shukla and Sanjay Pathak are doing the rounds. But the party is yet to reach a consensus on whether they should be sworn in along with Silawat and Rajput. As there is no agreement on the names of others, Silawat and Rajput are set to be sworn in.
Apart from the Cabinet expansion, the three leaders discussed appointments to corporations and about those who will be inducted into the executive committee. Legislators who have not been inducted into the Cabinet are set to get a berth in the committee. Some new faces may be inducted.
The three leaders took a decision on the names of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker.
The election to these posts is going to take place at the House session to be held by month-end.
Those who defected to the BJP from the Congress along with Jyotiraditya Scindia may be accommodated in the corporations with senior BJP leaders. The three ministers who have lost the by-elections may be appointed to corporations and given the status of ministers.
While Chouhan, Sharma and Bhagat were holding the discussions at the CM’s residence, Pathak also reached there. He aspires for a Cabinet berth.
Governor in Bhopal
Governor Anandiben Patel arrived at the state capital on Friday. Her arrival seems to be connected with the ministry expansion. According to sources, in the absence of a consensus over the other names, Tulsi Silawat and Govind Rajput are set to be sworn in.
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