The Madhya Pradesh Cabinet is finally being expanded and reshuffled. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan returned from New Delhi on Wednesday evening with the final list of new entrants to his Cabinet. He held discussions with BJP president Amit Shah and RSS functionaries there.
There has been no Cabinet expansion so far after Chouhan assumed the office of Chief Minister for the third time in 2013. Chouhan's Cabinet comprises of 19 Cabinet Ministers and four Ministers of State. The number of vacant berths is 12.
The Chief Minister held a marathon meeting with the party high command to give final touches to the list of new names and their respective portfolios. However, more or less the names of party MlAs remained the same as they are doing the rounds for the past few days.
Meanwhile, the preparations for the Cabinet reshuffle has commenced in the city. Governor Ramnaresh Yadav, who was admitted in a private hospital for the past four days, was discharged on Wednesday and he has reached the Governor House. Besides, orders for the tents have been finalized and works related to tent erection have commenced.
Official sources said that the oath-taking ceremony is likely on Thursday at around 5 pm.
The Cabinet expansion has been on the cards for long. Sources said the Chief Minister has also directed the officials concerned to keep offices ready for the new Ministers.
Meanwhile, rumors kept alive throughout the day over the probable names to be included in the Cabinet and those who would be shown the door or stripped of important ministries. News also poured in that Chouhan had differences with the BJP national vice-president - Madhya Pradesh organizational in-charge and MP Vinay Sahasrabuddhe - over the probable names. Even rumors of heated exchange between the two also came.
Reports that Chouhan after meeting with Sahasrabuddhe reached the RSS office in Delhi and registered his complaint against the organizational in-charge and from there went to meet the Union Steel Minister and his confidential colleague Narendra Singh Tomar, though this was not in his schedule.
