Ashok Gehlot has said those who do not receive the Ministerial berth will be accommodated in other positions. File
Jaipur:
Six MLAs, including three independent Senators, have been appointed as advisers to Minister Ashok Gehlot in Rajasthan, hours after 15 ministers were sworn in during a cabinet expansion.
Twelve new faces have been introduced to the cabinet, responding to a key request from former deputy minister Sachin Pilot, whose uprising last year rocked the state’s congressional administration.
The Congress MLAs who have been appointed as advisors are Jitendra Singh, Rajkumar Sharma and Danish Abrar.
Independent legislators Babu Lal Nagar, Sanyam Lodha and Ramkesh Meena have also been appointed as advisers to Mr Gehlot, according to a list released by the Office of the Minister. All six MLAs are considered close to Mr Gehlot and are in the running to become minister.
Abrar Denmark is among three Parliamentary MLAs, having been in Delhi on the day Mr Pilot rebelled against Mr Gehlot last July.
It is speculated that they were with Mr Pilot but they returned to Jaipur and claimed that they had come to Delhi for personal reasons.
Now he is considered in the Gehlot camp.
Jitendra Singh, Rajkumar Sharma and Babu Lal Nagar are former ministers.
Mr Gehlot had previously said that those who did not make it to the council of ministers would be adjusted in other political appointments.
After the swearing-in ceremony was over, Mr. Gehlot said parliamentary secretaries, advisers and chairman of the board of directors and corporations would be appointed.
“Now, some are going to be advisors, congressional secretaries, and board and corporation chairpersons. So it’s an effort for us to regulate most MLAs and move forward.” , Mr. Gehlot told reporters.
One party leader said the role and involvement of newly appointed advisers in the government would be equally important.
“They will be given equal importance in government,” the party leader said.
Sources said 15 parliamentary secretaries could be appointed.
However, Parliamentary Secretary General Ajay Maken pointed out that this is not the last cabinet reshuffle, saying that new faces will be given a chance as some want to work for the party.
Mr Maken, while addressing the MLA at the party office ahead of the swearing-in ceremony, also appreciated party leaders Govind Singh Dotasra, Harish Chaudhary and Raghu Sharma, who have stepped down as ministers to work for the party.
Mr Dotasra, Mr Chaudhary and Mr Sharma resigned on Friday from the council of ministers under the party’s “one man, one office” formula.
Mr. Sharma has been appointed as the All India Congress Committee (AICC) in charge of Gujarat and Chaudhary in charge of Punjab.
“The high command of the party and the prime minister have taken a balanced stance. All regional and social equality has been considered during the cabinet reshuffle,” a party leader said.
“Because of limitations, it is not possible to satisfy all those who have expectations. Therefore, 15 parliamentary secretaries and 7 advisers to the Prime Minister will be appointed and other political appointments will also be made. now,” the leader said.
The Congress has 108 MLAs on the 200-member Council. It also has support for 12 of the 13 independent MLAs.
With the introduction of 12 new ministers and the elevation of three from the State Department to cabinet rank today, the state now has 30 ministers, the maximum it can have.
The state currently has 19 cabinet and 10 ministers, excluding the prime minister.
(Except for the title, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from an aggregated feed.)
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