Kamal Nath, Bhupesh Baghel expand Cabinets on auspicious day

Newly-elected Chief Ministers of Madhya Pradesh (MP) and Chhattisgarh hustled to combine their auspicious times and availability of Anandiben Patel, who is the Governor in both the states, for the expansion of their councils of ministers.

Patel had to shuttle between the two states' capitals — Bhopal and Raipur — to administer the oath of office and secrecy to the council of ministers in the respective states on Christmas Day. Both CMs assumed office on December 17 and were awaiting another auspicious day to expand their Cabinet.

After much deliberation between astrologers and leaders, Congress decided in Madhya Pradesh that the council of ministers will take oath on Christmas Day in the morning and post-lunch on the same day in Chhattisgarh. Patel, as a result, had a packed schedule on Christmas.

In MP, CM Kamal Nath expanded his council of ministers by inducting 28 legislators, including two women legislators and an Independent, and in Chhattisgarh, CM Bhupesh Baghel inducted nine MLAs, including a woman legislator, as ministers.

Those who were sworn-in in MP, included Govind Singh (MLA from Lahar), Arif Aqueel (Bhopal North), Bala Bachchan (Rajpur ST), Sajjan Singh Verma (Sonkutch), Vijay Laxmi Sadho (Maheshawr) and Hukum Singh Karada (Shajapur). Aqueel is the only Muslim MLA in the Cabinet. Besides, Tulsi Silawat (Sanver) and Prabhuram Chowdhary (Sanchi), both former parliamentary secretaries, were also administered the oath. Jaivardhan Singh, the MLA from Raghogarh, and son of senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh, was also inducted into the Cabinet. The Congress returned to power in the state after a hiatus of 15 years.

Though the Congress, with 114 seats, emerged as the single largest party in the 230-member Assembly, it failed to cross the halfway mark on its own and enlisted support of the BSP and the SP, which won two and one seats, respectively.

In Chhattisgarh, Baghel gave representation to leaders from all sections and regions. Patel administered the oath of office to the new ministers at the Police Parade Ground. The portfolios are yet to be announced.

Senior Congress leader PL Punia, Baghel and other leaders were present on the occasion. Those who took oath on Tuesday included Mohammad Akbar, Ravindra Choubey, Jaisingh Agrawal and Umesh Patel. Four-time MLA and former minister Akbar is the alone Muslim face in the Cabinet. Similarly, seven-time MLA Choubey is the only member from the Brahmin community in the Cabinet.

Two other Congress legislators, TS Singh Deo and Tamradhwaj Sahu, took oath as ministers on December 17, after Baghel was sworn in as the chief minister. The Chhattisgarh cabinet can have 13 ministers at most, including the chief minister. The Congress returned to power here after 15 years, dislodging the Raman Singh-led BJP government. The Congress bagged 68 of the total 90 seats in the Assembly, while the BJP won only 15 seats.

Dual Duty

Anandiben Patel shuttled between the two states’ capitals — Bhopal and Raipur — to administer the oath of office and secrecy to the council of ministers in the respective states on Christmas Day. Both CMs assumed office on December 17 and were awaiting another auspicious day to expand their cabinet.