Congress, Independent MLAs not accommodated in reshuffle to be adjusted in political appointments

By PTI

JAIPUR: Congress and independent MLAs, who had expectations from the Cabinet expansion but were not accommodated in the reshuffle, would be adjusted in political appointments.

Party sources said that 15 parliamentary secretaries and seven advisers to the chief minister will be appointed.

This will accommodate 22 MLAs who had expectations that they would be made part of the government.

Those left out will be given other political appointments as chairperson of various boards and corporations, the party sources said.

The Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government had faced a political crisis in July last year after the then deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot and 18 other Congress MLAs took a rebellious stand against Gehlot’s leadership.

Rest of the Congress MLAs, independent legislators who were supporting the government, MLAs who quit the BSP and joined the Congress had camped in hotels under the leadership of Gehlot.

The chief minister had assured all those who supported his government at the time of the crisis that he would work as their guardian.

Apart from them, the members of Sachin Pilot camp also had expectations from the expansion.

“The party high command and chief minister have taken a balanced stand. All regional and social equations have been considered in the cabinet reshuffle. Since there were limitations, it was not possible to accommodate everyone who had expectations. For this, 15 parliamentary secretaries and seven advisers to CM will be appointed, and other political appointments will also be made,” the source said.

Fifteen ministers — 11 cabinet and four ministers of state — are going to take oath at the Raj Bhawan on Sunday.

The eleven Cabinet ministers include three who have been elevated from MoS to the Cabinet rank.

Only three ministers, Govind Singh Dotasra, Harish Chaudhary and Raghu Sharma, have been dropped.

The other ministers have been retained in the Ashok Gehlot cabinet.

In addition to them, 12 new ministers are being inducted.

Five are believed to be from the Sachin Pilot camp.

Pilot has also expressed satisfaction over the reshuffle and welcomed it, saying it has been done after much brainstorming and discussions, with a comprehensive approach and it will send a good message across the state.

The Congress has 108 MLAs in the 200-member assembly.

It also has the support of 12 out of 13 independent MLAs.