Shivraj Singh Chouhan in Delhi to meet party top brass for cabinet reshuffle
In Delhi, Chouhan is expected to meet Party President Amit Shah and general secretary Ram Lal to get a final stamp of approval for the proposed inductees in the cabinet.
In Short
- Chouhan is expected to meet Amit Shah to get a final stamp on cabinet reshuffle.
- CM is expected to return to MP by Wednesday.
- Is likely to come with the approved list of inductees.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday morning left for Delhi amid talk of an impending cabinet reshuffle in the state.
In Delhi, Chouhan is expected to meet Party President Amit Shah and general secretary Ram Lal to get a final stamp of approval for the proposed inductees in the cabinet.
The CM is expected to return by Wednesday evening with the approved list.
CABINET RESHUFFLE
Party vice president and Madhya Pradesh in-charge Vinay Sahasrabuddhe arrived in Bhopal on Tuesday night and had a long discussion with the Chief Minister on the proposed cabinet reshuffle. He too left for Delhi on Wednesday morning.
Presently, there are 22 minister besides the Chief Minister in the Madhya Pradesh cabinet. The CM can induct 12 more ministers but is unlikely to do so as he would like to keep some vacancies that would be filled up closer to the assembly elections in November 2018.
TOP CONTENDERS
Top contenders include Rustam Singh, Chaudhry Chandrabhan Singh, Om Prakash Dhurve, Vishwas Sarang, Sudarshan Gupta and Archana Chitnis. The CM is expected to strike a balance between regional and caste aspirations and seniority.
Some aged senior ministers may be given light portfolios in the reshuffle while those close to the CM may be rewarded with crucial departments.
Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Governor Ram Naresh Yadav who was admitted at a private hospital in Bhopal three days ago has also shown some improvement in his health.
The doctors are likely to assess his health on Wednesday afternoon and decide if he would be discharged on Wednesday or Thursday. The CM had met the governor at the hospital on Monday and one of the issues they discussed was the governor's availability for the oath ceremony for the cabinet expansion.
Sources said that in case the governor is discharged on Wednesday, the reshuffle is likely to take place on Thursday failing which it may get postponed by a couple of days.