BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh chief minister Mohan Yadav's cabinet was expanded on Monday with 28 ministers being sworn in, among them stalwarts like BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya and former Union minister Prahlad Patel.
What stood out in the lineup was that there are five women ministers this time -16% of the cabinet - the highest in 25 years, in keeping with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's push for women empowerment. Also, most of the cabinet members are familiar faces, although 17 of them have been made ministers for the first time, including veterans like former state BJP chief Rakesh Singh.
What was also conspicuous was that veterans like Gopal Bhargava, Bisahulal Singh or Bhupendra Singh have been dropped from the ministry. In fact, a look at the Yadav ministry shows that not many supporters of former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan have found a place. Three loyalists of Jyotiraditya Scindia have been given berths. Chouhan has called it a "balanced cabinet."
"I have full confidence that with the able guidance and blessings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, together we will leave no stone unturned in making Madhya Pradesh strong, prosperous, developed and self-reliant," CM Yadav said.
Governor Mangubhai Patel administered the oath of office and secrecy to the 28 ministers at Raj Bhavan at 3.30 pm. Eighteen of them are cabinet ministers, six junior ministers with independent charge and four junior ministers.
The MP cabinet can have 35 members, including the CM. Taking CM Yadav and deputy CMs Jagdish Devda and Rajendra Shukla, 31 posts have been filled.
Most of the leaders sent from Delhi to contest the assembly election have been accommodated. They include former state party chief Rakesh Singh and Rao Uday Pratap Singh, both of whom resigned from Parliament after winning the assembly election.
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