Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has created a record of being in office for 25 days without his Cabinet. Having assumed office on March 23 in a brief function amid corona scare, Shivraj Singh Chouhan has been spreaheading his Government alone and is yet to form his Cabinet.
While doing so, Chouhan has created a sort of record of being the Chief Minister for longest term sans a Cabinet. Chouhan on Thursday completed 25 days in power as CM while previously the record was held by BS Yediyurappa who had formed his Cabinet after 24 days in Karnataka.
Sources claimed that the Cabinet expansion is on the cards in a couple of days. It may take place even on Saturday evening.
It was Rajya Sabha member and the senior lawyer Vivek Tankha who had pointed this fact out in a tweet on Thursday.
“Congratulations Shivraj ji. Amidst so much gloom in MP you managed an Indian record –as the longest serving CM without a Council of Ministers. Previous record of 24 days of was Mr Yediyurappa CM Karnataka. Both become CM fourth term and formed Governments with the aid of defection (sic),” Tankha had tweeted with a taunt about Kamal Nath Government being dislodged by ‘unfair means’.
On Friday, Tankha while replying to a tweet from a senior journalist replied, “Hope they (BJP) realise how MP suffers cause of their shenanigans.”
“Bhopal wrecked with 90 plus cases and Health dept. Indore with 800 plus positive cases and highest mortality in country is to less and too little to wake BJP,” added the senior lawyer.
To add, Congress leaders have been attacking Chouhan for not forming cabinet and have been accusing him of usurping power with unfair means amid corona times.
Chouhan apparently replying to Congress jibes on Thursday tweeted, “Aap Bas Rajniti Karen, Main Bas Kaam Karta Rahunga. (You keep on indulging in politics, I would continue to serve.”
Prompt came the reply from Congress media cell in charge Jitu Patwari who tweeted, “You achieved what you wanted to, but have mercy and please save the public.”
Sources claimed that the BJP has a tough ask on its hands of accommodating its senior leaders apart from adjusting Scindia camp and other entrants into the cabinet.
The half a dozen former ministers of Scindia camp –Mahednra Singh Sisodia, Imarti Devi, Pradyumn Singh Tomar, Tulsiram Silawat, Prabhuram Chaudhary and Gvoind Singh Rajput, who had lost membership for assembly are hoping for a ministerial berth and plan to contest by-polls later on to become MLAs again.
Things are complicated further as others who deserted Congress and joined BJP including Aidal Singh Kansana, Rajyawardhan Singh Dattigaon, Bisahulal Singh and others too are vying for a cabinet berth.
Congress too have been demanding that at least ministers for crucial departments amid corona scare should be appointed to run ministries properly.