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Tag: ashok gehlot

  • Rajasthan Cabinet expansion: Now Gehlot gets six MLAs as advisers, Mayawati calls it ‘deception’

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: Six MLAs, including three independents, have been appointed advisers to CM Ashok Gehlot in Rajasthan, hours after 15 ministers took oath in a cabinet expansion.

    The Congress MLAs who have been appointed advisers are Jitendra Singh, Rajkumar Sharma and Danish Abrar.

    Independent legislators Babu Lal Nagar, Sanyam Lodha and Ramkesh Meena have also been appointed advisers to Gehlot, according to a list released by the Chief Minister’s Office.

    Fifteen ministers took the oath in Rajasthan on Sunday in a cabinet expansion that included 12 new faces, fulfilling a key demand of former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot whose rebellion last year shook the state’s Congress government.

    Gehlot had earlier in the day said those who did not make it to the council of ministers will be adjusted in other political appointments.

    Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati on Friday described the cabinet expansion of the Ashok Gehlot government in Rajasthan as a “deception” by the Congress to arrest the “declining support of the people”.

    Fifteen ministers, including 12 new faces, took oath on Sunday in Jaipur, fulfilling a key demand of former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot whose rebellion last year shook the state’s Congress government.

    The list included three ministers of state, all Dalits, from the old team who were elevated to the cabinet rank.

    The Congress also made room for an MLA who had switched over from the Bahujan Samaj Party.

    “To arrest the declining support of the people, the Congress made a Dalit chief minister of Punjab and in Rajasthan, some Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe members have been made ministers. This is similar to the expansion of the Union council of ministers by the BJP to project themselves as well-wishers. This is just depection,” Mayawati said in a tweet in Hindi.

    In another tweet, she said, “The Congress has neglected Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar. Far from giving him respect and honouring him with the Bharat Ratna, these casteist parties have always neglected and despised him. Then how can these parties be true well-wishers of SCs, STs and OBCs?”

    Chief Minister Gehlot told reporters after the oath-taking ceremony that representation has been given to all, be it scheduled tribes, scheduled castes, backward classes or minorities.

    He said that portfolios will be allotted while keeping in mind preparations for the assembly elections in 2023.

  • Work has to be done with dedication to maintain people’s trust in Congress government: Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: Congratulating the MLAs who are going to take oath as ministers, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday said that work has to be done with dedication to maintain the trust of the people in the Congress government.

    Fifteen ministers- 11 cabinet and four ministers of state (MoS)- will take oath at the Raj Bhawan at 4 pm on Sunday.

    The 11 cabinet ministers include three who have been elevated from MoS to cabinet rank.

    Gehlot said that his government in the last 35 months has worked to deliver transparent, sensible and good governance and had taken the state forward on the path of development, despite adverse circumstances.

    “The people have endorsed the good governance of our government by making the Congress win in the assembly bye-elections and local bodies elections held during our tenure. We all have to maintain this trust of the public in the times to come. For this, work has to be continued with full hard work and dedication,” he tweeted.

    He said that the Congress will work on the agenda of development and expressed confidence that the party will win the 2023 assembly elections.

  • Cabinet reshuffle sends positive message across Rajasthan, says Pilot

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: Congress leader and former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot on Sunday said the Cabinet reshuffle initiated by the Ashok Gehlot government has sent a positive message across the state and denied any factionalism in the party.

    Pilot, who was sacked as the deputy chief minister due to rebellion last year, said he is happy that the issues he had raised, including increasing the representation of Dalits in the Cabinet, have been addressed.

    “Four Dalits have been included in the Cabinet. This is a big message. At the same time, the representation of tribals and women has been increased. This was a necessary step and the party and the government worked hard to take it forward,” Pilot told reporters.

    He said the committee which was formed last year to look into the issues raised by him has “delivered the first result”.

    When asked about members from his group who have been given a place in the Cabinet, Pilot said there was no factionalism in the party and all will work unitedly to win the 2023 Assembly elections.

    “There is only one faction — the faction of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi and we all are the members. It will be our endeavour to move forward collectively and win the next assembly elections,” he said.

    On a question about his role in the new setup, Pilot said that he will follow what the party decides for him.

    Fifteen new Rajasthan ministers will take oath at 4 pm at the Raj Bhavan in Jaipur.

    The new cabinet will see 12 new faces, including five from the Pilot camp.

    This is the first cabinet reshuffle of the Gehlot government which came to power in December 2018.

  • Gehlot’s new team ready: 11 Cabinet Ministers, 4 new MoS to take the oath; 5 from Pilot camp

    Express News Service

    JAIPUR: The list of new ministers of the Gehlot government has been announced. After a long struggle, the Gehlot cabinet is all set for expansion today. 

    According to the list released by the Congress party, a total of 15 ministers will take oath today.  Of these, 11 will be sworn in as Cabinet Minister and 4 as Ministers of State.

    Five of the new ministers will be from the Sachin Pilot faction.  The list of newly appointed ministers was released late on Saturday night. Three existing ministers of state will be promoted as Cabinet Ministers. It is expected that after the expansion of the cabinet, the one-and-a-half year political crisis between Gehlot and Pilot camp will come to an end.

    The ministers who will take oath as part of the cabinet include Hemaram Chaudhary, Mahendrajeet Singh Malviya, Ramlal Jat, Dr Mahesh Joshi, Vishvendra Singh, Ramesh Meena, Mamta Bhupesh Bairwa, Bhajan Lal Jatav, Tikaram Julie, Govind Ram Meghwal and Shakuntala Rawat.  

    Zahida Khan, Brijendra Singh Ola, Rajendra Singh Gudha and Murarilal Meena are included as Ministers of State.

    Members from the Sachin Pilot faction who have been rewarded with ministerial berths are Hemaram Chaudhary, Vishvendra Singh and Ramesh Meena. Vishvendra Singh and Ramesh Meena had lost their seats in the political crisis followed by the Sachin Pilot’s rebellion last year. Now both of them will be back in the cabinet. Pilot loyalists Brijendra Singh Ola and Murari Lal Meena have been made Ministers of State.

    During the political crisis, 13 independent MLAs had supported the Gehlot government and they were expecting to get a place in the cabinet. However, their hopes have been crushed. Out of the six MLAs who joined Congress from BSP, one person has entered the Gehlot cabinet with Rajendra Singh Gudha being made Minister of State.

    The swearing-in ceremony will take place on Sunday at 4 pm in Raj Bhavan. All the ministers have been called to the state Congress headquarters at 2 pm on Sunday and from there, they all will go to the Raj Bhavan.  

    In the meeting of the Council of Ministers held at the CM residence on Saturday evening, resignations were taken from all the ministers.  The resignations of only 3 ministers who have been removed have been accepted. In the first phase, only these three ministers will be dropped.  

    It is believed that there will be a huge reshuffle in the portfolios of the ministers. Except for a few of them, the portfolios of most of Cabinet members will be changed. The new portfolios have also been decided at by the Congress High Command and the decision will be disclosed after the swearing-in ceremony.

  • Gehlot’s new team ready: 11 Cabinet Ministers, 4 new MoS to take oath; five from Pilot camp

    Express News Service

    JAIPUR: The list of new ministers of the Gehlot government has been announced. After a long struggle, the Gehlot cabinet is all set for expansion today. 

    According to the list released by the Congress party, a total of 15 ministers will take oath today.  Of these, 11 will be sworn in as Cabinet Minister and 4 as Ministers of State.

    Five of the new ministers will be from the Sachin Pilot faction.  The list of newly appointed ministers was released late on Saturday night. Three existing ministers of state will be promoted as Cabinet Ministers. It is expected that after the expansion of the cabinet, the one-and-a-half year political crisis between Gehlot and Pilot camp will come to an end.

    The ministers who will take oath as part of the cabinet include Hemaram Chaudhary, Mahendrajeet Singh Malviya, Ramlal Jat, Dr Mahesh Joshi, Vishvendra Singh, Ramesh Meena, Mamta Bhupesh Bairwa, Bhajan Lal Jatav, Tikaram Julie, Govind Ram Meghwal and Shakuntala Rawat.  

    Zahida Khan, Brijendra Singh Ola, Rajendra Singh Gudha and Murarilal Meena are included as Ministers of State.

    Members from the Sachin Pilot faction who have been rewarded with ministerial berths are Hemaram Chaudhary, Vishvendra Singh and Ramesh Meena. Vishvendra Singh and Ramesh Meena had lost their seats in the political crisis followed by the Sachin Pilot’s rebellion last year. Now both of them will be back in the cabinet. Pilot loyalists Brijendra Singh Ola and Murari Lal Meena have been made Ministers of State.

    During the political crisis, 13 independent MLAs had supported the Gehlot government and they were expecting to get a place in the cabinet. However, their hopes have been crushed. Out of the six MLAs who joined Congress from BSP, one person has entered the Gehlot cabinet with Rajendra Singh Gudha being made Minister of State.

    The swearing-in ceremony will take place on Sunday at 4 pm in Raj Bhavan. All the ministers have been called to the state Congress headquarters at 2 pm on Sunday and from there, they all will go to the Raj Bhavan.  

    In the meeting of the Council of Ministers held at the CM residence on Saturday evening, resignations were taken from all the ministers.  The resignations of only 3 ministers who have been removed have been accepted. In the first phase, only these three ministers will be dropped.  

    It is believed that there will be a huge reshuffle in the portfolios of the ministers. Except for a few of them, the portfolios of most of Cabinet members will be changed. The new portfolios have also been decided at by the Congress High Command and the decision will be disclosed after the swearing-in ceremony.

  • Rajasthan cabinet to have 12 new faces, five from Sachin Pilot camp: Sources

    The Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government will have a total of 30 ministers, including 18 who resigned earlier.

  • Rajasthan cabinet to have 12 new faces, five to six loyalists from Sachin Pilot camp

    Express News Service

    JAIPUR: In what could end the tussle between Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot and his rival Sachin Pilot, at least for now, the much delayed cabinet reshuffle is likely to take place on Sunday evening with at least five to six Pilot loyalists finding a berth in the ministry. There can be a maximum of 30 ministers.

    Gehlot held a cabinet meeting on Saturday evening and took the resignations of all his ministers, paving the way for the CM and the Congress high command to reorganize the ministry in the way they deem fit.

    The meeting was preceded by a resolution moved by state PCC chief and education minister Govind Dotasra, which suggested that all ministers should resign. This was promptly approved by the entire ministry.

    Talking to media after the meeting, transport minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas said: “We have submitted our resignations to Ashok Gehlot and all the MLAs have been asked to be present at the party office at 2 pm on Sunday. Whatever will be decided by the CM and the party high command will be followed.”

    Earlier in the afternoon, Dotasra met Rajasthan in-charge Ajay Maken following which he said all the new ministers would be welcomed at a special function at the party headquarters before the oath-taking ceremony.

    All through Saturday, the political corridors were abuzz over who would make it to the all-new Gehlot ministry.

    Whether Pilot will figure in the reshuffle is a question on everyone’s lips but hectic lobbying continued through the day. Asked who would be inducted in the new ministry, Gehlot told reporters in the afternoon that “for this Ajay Maken is in contact with Delhi”.

    In a bid to dislodge Gehlot last year, Pilot had revolted against the CM, leading a group of MLAs loyal to him and demanded a change of leadership in the state. Gehlot had managed to stave off the rebellion and remained in the saddle. 

    Besides the two rival camps, the independents and former BSP MLAs who played a crucial role in keeping the Gehlot government safe during Pilot’s revolt is another key aspect that is being closely watched in the state.

  • All Rajasthan ministers resign ahead of Cabinet reshuffle

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: All Rajasthan ministers resigned on Saturday during a meeting at Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s residence here.

    Their resignation has come ahead of the Cabinet reshuffle.

    “All ministers resigned in the meeting,” Pratap Singh Khachariyawas, who held the charge of the transport minister, told reporters.

    State Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasra, who on Friday resigned as education minister along with two other ministers, had moved a proposal at the beginning of the meeting following which all ministers resigned.

    “We have been asked to go to the PCC office at 2 pm on Sunday where further instructions will be given by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, AICC general secretary Ajay Maken and PCC chief Govind Singh Dotasra,” Khachariyawas said.

  • Gehlot accuses Modi of mocking farmers in Parliament

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Saturday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had “mocked” the farmers in an animated manner and called them “andolanjeevi”, but those theatrics were missing when he announced the repeal of three farm laws.

    Gehlot claimed that the Modi dispensation decided to repeal the farm laws under pressure of the assembly elections in five states, including Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, and that the government was “scared”.

    “The prime minister was speaking in Parliament with ‘latke-jhatke’ (gestures), which he usually does. On Friday, those ‘latke-jhatke’ were missing,” Gehlot said.

    He also asked why Modi chose to make the announcement at 9 am when people are engaged in household chores and gearing up for work.

    “Around 15-20 of their leaders (BJP and allies) made sarcastic comments against the farmers. They referred to the farmers as Khalistanis and naxals. Imagine the plight of the ‘annadatas’ (farmers) when such remarks were made against them,” Gehlot said at the Kisan Vijay Diwas programme in Jaipur.

    Modi and parliamentarians from the ruling party “mocked and laughed” at the farmers.

    However, they all got “exposed” on Friday when an apology was tendered, the chief minister alleged.

    Gehlot claimed that the BJP was afraid of the elections and therefore, its national president JP Nadda, defence minister and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Rajnath Singh, and Home Minister Amit Shah were looking after booth management.

    “Democracy and the Constitution are under threat. Fascist people, who have nothing to do with the farmers, are in power,” he alleged.

    Raking up the Lakhimpur Kheri issue, Gehlot said it was unfortunate that Union Minister of State Ajay Mishra had not been sacked.

    AICC general secretary in-charge for Rajasthan Ajay Maken cautioned the farmers and Congress leaders to be alert as, according to him, the intention of the government was “malafide”.

    “The government brought an ordinance to extend the tenure of the Enforcement Directorate and CBI heads. A similar thing should have been done to repeal the farm laws. We doubt the intention of the central government and hence, we need to exercise caution,” he said.

  • Gehlot to hold last meeting of his current council of ministers today evening: Sources

    The sources said the Cabinet meeting has been called ahead of the proposed Cabinet reshuffle and ministers are likely to resign.