The Madhya Pradesh Cabinet expansion by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav took place on Monday (July 8) morning. Yadav met with Governor Mangubhai Patel at Raj Bhavan on Sunday evening. The preparations were held for the cabinet expansion function. The ceremomy took place at 9 am today.
Six-time MLA from Vijaypur in Sheopur district, Ramniwas Rawat, who joined the BJP during the Lok Sabha campaign on April 30, was inducted as a cabinet member.
Although Rawat joined the ruling BJP, he has not yet resigned from the state assembly as a Congress MLA. Since joining the BJP at an election rally, Rawat has hesitated to confirm his switch. It is anticipated that he may resign as a Congress MLA after taking the oath as a minister, sources in BJP said.
Rawat is a powerful OBC leader from the Gwalior-Chambal region. He was not considered for any key posts while in the Congress, including that of the state party chief and the Leader of Opposition last year. Ending his decades-long association with the Congress, he joined hands with the BJP in April, just a week ahead of the voting in four seats of the Gwalior-Chambal region on May 7. The BJP swept the state winning all 29 Lok Sabha seats.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, who assumed office on December 13 following the assembly elections last year, inducted 28 legislators into the state cabinet on December 25. Among them, 18 took the oath as cabinet ministers, while 10 others were sworn in as ministers of state, including six with independent charge. The maximum strength of the MP cabinet is 34.
(With PTI inputs)
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