Rajasthan Cabinet: 23 ministers likely to take oath tomorrow

Image Source : PTI
Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot

As many as 23 newly elected legislators - 22 Congress and one RLD - are expected to be sworn-in as ministers in the Rajasthan cabinet formation on Monday.

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot, who took oath on December 17, returned to the state capital Sunday noon after spending three days in New Delhi for a meeting with President Rahul Gandhi and senior party functionaries.

The names of council of ministers have been finalised by the state Congress leaders including Gehlot and Pilot after rounds of discussion with Rahul Gandhi and other senior leaders, PTI reported quoting sources.

The swearing in ceremony is expected to be held in Jaipur at 11.30 AM on Monday, they said.

AICC general secretary in charge of Rajasthan, Avinash Pandey and Congress observer for the state on government formation, K C Venugopal, besides

AICC secretaries for the state were also involved in the deliberations for deciding on the ministers, the sources said.

Rahul Gandhi intends to focus on having a cabinet with a majority being fresh faces, PTI sources said, adding the cabinet will be a blend of the old and new guard and will give an opportunity to those who have not held ministerial portfolios in the past.

They said over a dozen of them will be seen in tomorrow's cabinet expansion.

Meanwhile, Gehlot has so far initiated a few transfers of officials with the likelihood of a thorough reshuffle of bureaucrats after the cabinet formation.

"As many as 22 Congress and one alliance partner RLD's MLA are likely to take oath at Raj Bhawan on Monday," a party leader informed.

Those who are likely to take oath are-

BD Kalla

Raghu Sharma

Shanti Dhariwal

Lal Chand Kataria

Pramod Jain Bhaya

Parsadi Lal Meena

Vishvendra Singh

Harish Choudhary