Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Tuesday hinted towards the expansion of his Cabinet in next couple of days. Soren, while talking to media person at Birsa Munda International Airport on his return from New Delhi said, “There is no confusion on cabinet expansion. The opposition is yet to recover from its shocking defeat in Assembly election.”
“The Opposition is upset with its loss and is spreading rumour that there are differences between JMM and Congress over Cabinet expansion. I want to make it clear that Grand Alliance is united and there are no differences between us,” added Soren.
Soren’s remark on Cabinet expansion assumes importance as the Opposition has been targeting JMM and Congress for delay in cabinet expansion. The BJP targeting Soren’s government has claimed that both the parties are yet to finalise their cabinet as Congress is exerting pressure on JMM demanding plum portfolios.
State BJP spokesperson, Pratul Shahdeo had claimed that Soren is dancing on the tune of Congress as the party is demanding key portfolios in the cabinet. Shahdeo said that due to the blackmailing of the Congress, Chief Minister Hemant Soren spent almost half of his 25-day tenure visiting Delhi Darbar. Shahdeo claimed that the selection of ministers and allocation of portfolios is the prerogative of Chief Minister, but the way in which Congress is exerting pressure on Chief Minister for getting plum portfolios is condemnable.
Meanwhile, sources said that both the parties — JMM and Congress — have finalised the shape of new Cabinet. Soren on his recent visit to Delhi for receiving ‘Champion of Change’ award from former President Pranab Mukherjee had discussion with senior Congress leaders on Cabinet expansion. Sources said the Cabinet expansion will be done on January 28.
The Hemant Soren Government in State comprises three Ministers who took oath along with him on December 29 along with two ministers from Congress quota (Alamgir Alam and Rameshwar Oroan) and one minister Satyanand Bhokta from RJD camp.
Sources said the delay in Cabinet expansion is mainly due to both parties failing to reach consensus on number of ministerial berths and key departments. While the Congress wants five ministries, the JMM is willing to give only four. The Congress also wants important ministries, like health, education and rural development.
Also, Hemant Soren has to deal with the Congress demands, meet the aspirations of his own party legislators as well as balance the caste factor. Also, there are over half a dozen JMM legislators who have won the Assembly polls four-five times and are aspiring to be in the ministry.
The JMM, the Congress and the RJD won 30, 16 and 1 seat, respectively, in the recently concluded Assembly polls.