In a cabinet expansion that included 12 new faces which consisted of 2 new women ministers, fifteen ministers took the oath in Rajasthan fulfilling a key demand of former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot.
Instead of just one earlier, there are three women ministers now. Zahida is a newly sworn-in MoS while Mamta Bhupesh and Shakuntala Rawat hold the cabinet rank.
Sworn in by Governor Kalraj Mishra, the four ministers of state and 11 cabinet-rank included five considered to be in Pilot camp. The list included three Dalit MoS from the old team.
As advisers to the CM, hours later Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s office also announced the appointment of six MLAs three independent and three from the Congress.
Two years ahead of the next assembly polls, the expansion also gives Dalits and women a stronger presence in the government.
The maximum possible for Rajasthan, the ministry now has 30 members. Apart from the chief minister, the council of ministers has 19 cabinet ministers and 10 MoS.
Pilot who was removed from the posts of state Congress president and deputy CM expressed satisfaction with the reshuffle.
“There is only one fraction- the 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.
After the AICC set up a three-member committee to address the concerns of the rebel faction, Gehlot and Pilot patched up. Bhajan Lal Jatav, Mamta Bhupesh and Tikaram Jully are the three MoS promoted to the cabinet rank.
Gehlot said some MLAs, who could not be included in the ministry, will be accommodated on posts like parliamentary secretary, adviser to the chief minister and chairman of various boards and corporations.
The Gehlot government had also got the backing of a group of independents, during the 2020 crisis, who helped ensure that it had the majority in the 200-member House.
