After Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, a cabinet expansion is also on the cards for the new BJP government in Rajasthan too, with the Bhajan Lal Sharma government expected to induct new ministers in a day or two.
As per BJP sources, cabinet expansion can take place on Wednesday or Thursday and preparations are being made at Raj Bhavan for the swearing in.
It is believed that like Madhya Pradesh, new MLAs will be given more opportunities.
Asked about the issue, BJP state President C.P. Joshi said: “You will be informed about cabinet expansion soon.”
CM Sharma was on a tour of Sri Karanpur Assembly on Tuesday and returned to Jaipur on Tuesday evening. Most of the MLAs are staying in Jaipur due to cabinet expansion.
The speculation is that instead of senior members, those MLAs who have never become ministers till now can be given a chance. Some senior MLAs can also be made ministers and their number will not be much.
At the same time, in view of Lok Sabha elections, the selection of new ministers will be with an eye on maintaining caste and regional balance.
Against this backdrop, it is being assumed that in Shekhawati region, where BJP’s performance has been lagging, most of the winning MLAs can be included in the cabinet.
Meanwhile, former CM Ashok Gehlot has been continually attacking the BJP government for its delayed cabinet expansion. On Tuesday, he said that the public has lost hope in the newly elected government due to non-fulfillment of the guarantee of not closing his government’s “wonderful schemes”.
“While the youth are being deprived of employment by closing the Rajiv Gandhi Youth Internship Programme, there are also reports of no treatment under the Chiranjeevi Yojana. In such a situation, it becomes necessary that in the interest of Rajasthan, the government should first form a cabinet and clarify the situation for our schemes and smooth governance,” he said.
