Madhya Pradesh Assembly Elections 2023: Ahead of the assembly polls in the state, the Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led Madhya Pradesh government is planning to expand its cabinet with the induction of three-four new ministers.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan met Governor Mangubhai Patel at Rajbhavan in Bhopal late Friday night.
As per the sources, the chief minister handed over the list of ministers who will be inducted into the cabinet on Saturday. The oath-taking ceremony will be held at Raj Bhavan on Saturday morning at 8:45 am.
A BJP leader while speaking on the matter said that three to four new members are likely to be inducted in the cabinet. The current term of the BJP-led government in Madhya Pradesh started in March 2020.
Who are likely to be inducted in Madhya Pradesh Cabinet
Former ministers Rajendra Shukla -- a Brahmin leader and the MLA from Rewa in the Vindh region and Gaurishankar Bisen -- the legislator from Balaghat in the Mahakoshal region who is chairman of the MP Backward Class Commission, are likely to be inducted in the Madhya Pradesh cabinet.
Discussions are also taking place within the party over Rahul Singh Lodhi and former minister Jalam Singh who are also in the race to be inducted as cabinet ministers. Both the leaders belong to the OBC community who make up more than 45 per cent of Madhya Pradesh's population, a BJP leader.
Who are Rahul Singh Lodhi and Jalam Singh?
Rahul Singh Lodhi, a first-time MLA from Khargapur in Tikamgarh district in the Bundelkhand region, is the nephew of senior BJP leader and former chief minister Uma Bharti while Jalam Singh, the MLA from Narsinghpur in the Mahakoshal region, is the younger brother of Union minister Prahlad Patel.
Current state of Madhya Pradesh cabinet
At present, the Madhya Pradesh cabinet has 31 ministers, including the CM. As per constitutional norms, the number can go up to 35, that is 15 per cent of the strength of the MP assembly which has 230 members.
The last cabinet expansion took place in January 2021.
No communication regarding oath-taking ceremony, says Raj Bhavan official
A Raj Bhavan official has said that there is no communication from the state government regarding any oath-taking ceremony.
The expansion is being done on recommendation of the BJP' central leadership to beat anti-incumbency, balance caste equations and address regional aspirations in the state, where polls are due by the year-end, party insiders said.
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