Three new ministers were inducted into the Madhya Pradesh cabinet on Saturday. The cabinet expansion was carried out by Madhya Pradesh Governor Mangubhai Patel at Raj Bhavan in Bhopal. The new ministers were administered the oath of office by the Governor. The induction of the three new ministers comes ahead of the Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections, which are scheduled to be held later this year. The BJP is the ruling party in Madhya Pradesh and is hoping to retain power in the upcoming elections.
The three ministers who were inducted into the Madhya Pradesh cabinet are:
Rajendra Shukla
Rajendra Shukla is an Indian politician of the Bharatiya Janata Party and a Member of the Legislative Assembly from the Rewa constituency of Madhya Pradesh. He is a former Minister of Commerce, Industry, and Employment in the Government of Madhya Pradesh.
He was born on August 3, 1964, in Rewa. His father, Sri Bhaiyalal Shukla, was a contractor and social worker. He studied at a Government school and holds a bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering from Government Engineering College Rewa. With leadership qualities blooming at a young age only, he became the president of the Government Engineering College Student Union in 1986.
He started his political career in 1995 as a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party. He was elected to the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly for the first time in 2008. He was re-elected in 2013 and 2018.
In 2018, he was appointed as the Minister of Commerce, Industry, and Employment in the Government of Madhya Pradesh. He held this position until 2020.
He is a popular and respected politician in Rewa. He is known for his work in the fields of education, health, and infrastructure development.
Gaurishankar Bisen
Gaurishankar Bisen is a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) politician from Madhya Pradesh. He has been a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Balaghat constituency since 2008. He is also the chairman of the Madhya Pradesh Backward Classes Commission.
Bisen was born on January 1, 1952, in Balaghat district. He is a graduate of Jata Shankar Trivedi Postgraduate College, Balaghat, and Sagar University, Sagar. He is married to Rekha Gaurishankar Bisen, who is a former chairperson of the Balaghat Jila Panchayat.
Bisen started his political career as a member of the Janata Party. He joined the BJP in 1990. He was elected to the Madhya Pradesh Assembly in 2008 and 2013. He served as a cabinet minister in the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government from 2013 to 2018.
In 2021, Bisen was appointed chairman of the Madhya Pradesh Backward Classes Commission. He is a controversial figure and has been accused of corruption and misconduct. In 2023, he was caught on camera allegedly touching minor girls inappropriately.
Despite the controversies, Bisen remains a popular figure in the BJP and is seen as a potential contender for the post of Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh.
Rahul Singh Lodhi
Rahul Singh Lodhi is a politician from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He is the nephew of former Union Minister and former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Uma Bharti. He was elected as a member of the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly from Kharagpur constituency in the 2018 elections. However, his election was later declared void by the Madhya Pradesh High Court in 2022.
Lodhi was born on December 6, 1977, in Narsinghpur district, Madhya Pradesh. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Guru Ghasidas University in Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh. He is married and has two children.
Lodhi started his political career as a member of the Indian National Congress (INC). He was elected as a member of the Narsinghpur Municipal Corporation in 2009. In 2018, he joined the BJP and was elected as the MLA from Kharagpur constituency.
Lodhi's election from Kharagpur constituency was challenged by the Congress candidate, Chanda Singh Gour. Gour alleged that Lodhi had furnished incorrect information in his nomination papers. The Madhya Pradesh High Court upheld Gour's petition and declared Lodhi's election void.
Despite the court order, Lodhi continues to claim that he is the MLA from the Kharagpur constituency. He has filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the High Court's order.
In May 2021, Lodhi was again elected as the MLA from the Damoh constituency in a by-election. However, he was defeated by Ajay Kumar Tandon of the INC in the 2023 assembly elections.
Also read | Madhya Pradesh: Shivraj Singh Chouhan distributes funds to 7,800 topper students at event in Shahdol
Also read | Congress will conduct caste census in Madhya Pradesh after winning Assembly elections: Mallikarjun Kharge
