As many as 16 BJP legislators have intensified lobbying for a ministerial berth in Raman Singh Government since the swearing-in ceremony is likely to be held next week even though Singh will take oath as Chief Minister for the third successive term on Thursday, Dec 12.
Top sources in the BJP said that seasoned politicians - Brijmohan Agrawal and Amar Agrawal besides Rajesh Munat, Punnulal Mohile, Dayaldas Baghel, Vikram Usendi and Kedar Kashyap - are most likely to be re-inducted into the new Cabinet but slots are still vacant for five ministerial berths for at least 16 MlAs have activated their links at the higher level in party organisation in Chhattisgarh as well as in Delhi.
As many as five ministerial colleagues of Raman Singh Government surprisingly bit the dust in the Assembly polls that include Home Minister Nankiram Kanwar from Rampur seat in Korba district. “The contenders are exhausting their contacts in Delhi and in Raipur to manage berth in the new Cabinet, but a final call on the size of the Cabinet and names will be taken by Raman Singh on consultation with party’s Central leadership this week,” BJP insiders told The Pioneer.
The contenders who are pressing hard for ministerial berths are former Minister Ajay Chandrakar who won from Kurud, former Assembly Speaker Premprakash Pandey from Bhilai Nagar seat, Badridhar Diwan from Beltara seat, former Chairman Chhattisgarh Mineral Development Corporation Gaurishankar Agrawal from Kasdol seat, Devjibhai Patel from Dharsiwa seat, Santosh Bafna from Jagdalpur seat, labhchand Bafna from Saja who upstaged leader of the Opposition Ravindra Choubey, lakhan Devangan from Katghora who stunned one of the seniormost Congress leaders Bodhram Kanwar, State BJP chief Ramsewak Paikra from Pratappur seat of Surguja district, Mahesh Gagda from Bijapur and Yudhvir Singh Judeo, son of former Union Minister late Dilip Singh Judeo, from Chandrapur seat.
The three women MlAs — Ramsheela Sahu from Durg Rural, Kerabai Manhar from Sarangarh and Rupkumari Chaudhari from Basna — are also said to be in the race to fill a berth which party wants to pick up from women legislators. As many as six women have managed to pull off victory for BJP in the 2013 polls.