CHIEF Minister Vishnu Deo Sai expanded his Cabinet on Friday, inducting nine Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs as Cabinet Ministers. The swearing-in ceremony, presided over by Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan at Raj Bhawan, marked the inclusion of a diverse set of leaders from various regions and communities.

 

The nine newly-appointed Cabinet Ministers are Brijmohan Agrawal - MLA from Raipur South Legislative Assembly, Ram Vichar Netam - MLA from Ramanujganj, Dayaldas Baghel - MLA from Nawagarh (Scheduled Caste), Kedar Kashyap - MLA from Narayanpur, O P Choudhary - MLA from Raigarh (First-time MLA and former 2005 batch IAS officer), Lakhanlal Dewangan - MLA from Korba (Second-time MLA), Shyam Bihari Jaiswal - MLA from Manendragarh (Second-time MLA), Laxmi Rajwade - MLA from Bhatgaon (First-time MLA) Tankram Verma - MLA from Balodabazar (First-time MLA). The ceremony also saw the return of experienced leaders like Brijmohan Agrawal, an eight-time MLA, who assumes ministerial responsibilities for the fifth time. Kedar Kashyap, a senior tribal leader and former Cabinet Minister in the previous BJP Government, has been reinstated.

 

Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s earlier campaign statement regarding the significance of O P Choudhary’s victory in Raigarh resonated during the ceremony. Choudhary, a first-time MLA and former IAS officer, was sworn-in as a Cabinet Minister. Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, Deputy Chief Ministers Arun Sao and Vijay Sharma, Speaker of Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly Dr. Raman Singh, former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, BJP State President Kiran Singh Deo, BJP State Co-incharge Nitin Nabin, Director General of Police Ashok Juneja, and several other dignitaries attended the ceremony. Ajay Chandrakar (OBC), Vikram Usendi (Scheduled Tribe), Dayaldas Baghel, Rajesh Munat, Punnulal Mohile and Lata Usendi, who had served as the Cabinet Ministers in the previous BJP Government, have not been made Cabinet Ministers in Vishnu Deo Sai Government.