The much-awaited cabinet expansion of the newly formed Congress Government will be held on Tuesday at Raj Bhawan in which up to 10 new Ministers will be inducted into the cabinet, top sources in Government informed.
Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has finalised names of the new Ministers on Saturday after a hectic parleys with central leaders of his party and party president Rahul Gandhi in his maiden visit to the national capital as chief minister of the mineral-rich state.
Congress in Chhattisgarh has been tight-lipped about names of the MLAs to be absorbed into the cabinet but sources say that experience, caste factors, regional representation and other key factors have played vital roles for picking up names for the ministerial berths.
As per law, the strength of the Chhattisgarh cabinet can not exceed up to 13 including chief ministers. Congress has returned to power after a gap of 15 years in Chhattisgarh and got a brute majority of 68 in a 90-member state assembly.
Congress national general secretary and party incharge for Chhattisgarh PL Punia is all likely to attend the swearing-in ceremony. Reports say that Baghel has also finalised names for party’s pick for Assembly Speaker and his deputy but names have not been revealed.