Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan expanded his cabinet by drafting in three ministers on Saturday.
All three are prominent faces of their respective regions and are expected to bolster BJP’s plans of snatching the Mungaoli and Kolaras assembly seats from the Congress during the upcoming bypolls. The move is also to try and rein in the simmering farmers’ discontent.
In a function organised at Raj Bhavan on Saturday morning, Governor Anandiben Patel administered oath of office to Balkrishna Patidar from Khargone, Narayan Singh Kushwah from Gwalior and Jalam Singh Patel from Narsinghpur.
With little over six months in reserve for their ministerial term, at least in this tenure of the BJP government, the newly inducted ministers vowed to work for the party especially during the upcoming assembly polls.
“Whenever new colleagues join, they bring in energy and help us in better governance,” said CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan after the function. He, however, baffled many when he laughingly said, "Let’s wait for another mini-expansion."
His remarks come in the wake of reports that he wished to include Gopilal Jatav, a prominent Dalit face from Ashoknagar but his name was said to be dropped at the eleventh hour after Congress moved Election Commission alleging that a person from a poll-bound constituency cannot be made minister in accordance with the Model Code of Conduct.
Narsinghpur’s Jalam Singh Patel is the brother of former Union Minister Prahlad Singh Patel and represents the Lodhi community, which has close to 18,000 voters in Mungali and around 10,000 in Kolaras. Narayan Singh Kushwah who comes from Kachhi community in Gwalior, would have the backing of 15000 voters in Kolaras and around 8,000 in Mungaoli.
The inclusion of veteran Balkrishna Patidar from Khargone brings representation of Patidars, who were majorly a part of the farmers’ stir in June, especially in Mandsaur. Placating agitated farmers is CM Shivraj’s biggest concern ahead of the by-elections.
The party high command’s influence, though, can be seen in the inclusion of Jalam Singh Patel, younger brother of senior leader Prahlad Singh Patel, a known CM Shivraj detractor and close aide of former Chief Minister Uma Bharti. Patel senior also enjoys sizable backing in PM Narendra Modi and party chief Amit Shah.
Meanwhile, disappointment was well-written on the face of BJP general secretary Kailash Vjayvargiya as he said, “Shivraj ji is Indore ke Jan Nayak aur Mahnayak hain, isiliye Indore se kisi ke pratinidhitva ki jarurat nahin (Shivraj ji is Indore’s public hero, that is why Indore doesn’t need a representative).” The former cabinet colleague was referring to a cabinet berth not being allotted to anyone from Indore, his hometown.
Kushwah has been assigned a cabinet rank while the remaining two would be discharging their duties as ministers of state. Allotment of portfolios would take place later.
Meanwhile, CM Shivraj left three remaining berths in his cabinet vacant conveying the message that he was not in the mood to trigger any discontent ahead of the by-polls. He is also hinting about a possible cabinet rejig in preparation for the assembly elections.
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