In a balancing act to keep the MlAs happy, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh on Monday inducted six Chief Parliamentary Secretaries(CPS) in the rank of Minister of State.
The Chief Minister administered the oath of office and secrecy to the new appointees at the State Secretariat. With this, the total number of CPS in the State has risen to nine.
Talking to reporters after the ceremony, Singh said the lone vacancy in the Cabinet would be filled at an appropriate time. At present, the Virbhadra Singh Government comprises 11 ministers and there is a place for another Minister.
Among the new CPS are Jagjivan Pal, a two-time MlA from Sulah, and Rakesh Kalia, elected twice to the assembly from Chintpurni. He represents Gagret constituency in Una district. Nand lal is a two-time sitting MlA from Rampur, the Chief Minister's home town. Also inducted were Sohan lal, two-time sitting MlA from Sundernagar in Mandi
district, and Rohit Thakur, the grandson of former Chief Minister Ram lal Thakur and the sitting MlA from Jubbal Kotkhai. Inder Dutt lakhanpal, a first-time MlA from Badsar in Hamirpur district, was also sworn in.
The Chief Minister hoped that the newly inducted CPS’s would play a pivotal role in the development of the State. He said that all the Chief Parliamentary Secretaries were quite young and could effectively contribute to accelerate the pace of development with dedication and devotion.
Replying to a query, he said Congress was geared up for the bye election of Mandi Parliamentary Constituency. later, the newly inducted CPS's were assigned their departments and attached with the inisters concerned.
Jagjivan Pal is attached with Irrigation & Public Health Minister for Irrigation and Public Health, Rakesh Kalia with the Chief Minister for Ayurveda, Nand lal with Health and Family Welfare Minister for Health, Rohit Thakur with MPP and Power Minister for Agriculture, Sohan lal Thakur attached with Rural Development Minister for Panchayati Raj and Inder Dutt lakhanpal with Rural Development Minister for Rural Development.