7 Ministers inducted into HP Cabinet

SHIMLA,

AFTER a four-week wait, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu expanded his Cabinet on Sunday with the induction of seven Ministers, including Vikramaditya Singh - the son of former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and State Congress President Pratibha Singh. The strength of the Cabinet has now risen to nine. Only Sukhu and his Deputy Mukesh Agnihotri were sworn in on December 11 following Congress’ win in the hill State. Three berths are still vacant as the maximum number of Ministers, including the Chief Minister, cannot exceed 12.

Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar administered the oath of office to the newly-inducted Ministers at the Raj Bhawan.

The party apparently tried to placate Sukhu’s rival camp led by Pratibha Singh, who lost out in the chief ministerial race, with the induction of her son Vikramaditya Singh, two-time MLA from Shimla (Rural). Among the new Ministers, Harshwardhan Chauhan, a six-time MLA elected from Shillai, three-time MLA elected from Kasumpti Anirudh Singh and four-time MLA Rohit Thakur from Jubbal-Kotkhai are considered close to the Chief Minister. The other Ministers are eldest MLA Dhani Ram Shandil, a former Minister elected from Solan; Chander Kumar, a former Minister and six-time MLA from Jawali in Kangra district; and Jagat Singh Negi, a former Deputy Speaker and five-time MLA from tribal Kinnaur district.

Meanwhile, police had a tough time controlling hundreds of enthusiastic supporters who tried to forcibly enter the already-packed Darbar hall of Raj Bhawan here during the oath-taking ceremony and even damaged two doors.

Congress workers and supporters danced to traditional music outside the Bhawan. All roads to the Governor’s official residence were choked with vehicles and pedestrians.