Jharkhand Cabinet Expansion Postponed Due To Congress' Yatra, Oath Taking Likely on Feb 16

Ranchi: Rescheduling the cabinet expansion planned for Thursday, February 8, Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren will expand his cabinet on February 16. Reports suggest that the ruling alliance in Jharkhand has delayed the cabinet expansion for the Congress' Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra he,med by Rahul Gandhi. Earlier, Champai Soren has took part in the first leg of the yatra on February 2. 

"The swearing-in ceremony has been deferred. Now, it will take place at 3 pm on February 16 at Raj Bhavan here," state minister Alamgir Alam said. He cited the two-day second leg of 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in the state starting on February 14 as the reason for the change of schedule of the swearing-in event.

Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra is scheduled to enter Jharkhand on February 14 from Chhattisgarh and proceed to Bihar on February 15.

Congress yet to decide on ministers 

Regarding the selection of MLAs for the council of ministers, Alamgir Alam- who took oath as a minister along with CM Champai Soren- said it is yet to be decided by the Congress. "I do not know whether the JMM has selected their MLAs for the council of ministers," he said.

A JMM source said the party might select most of the legislators who were in the Hemant Soren cabinet, with a possibility of one or two changes.

Champai Soren took oath along with Alamgir Alam and Bhokta 

Champai Soren, the 67-year-old Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader, was sworn in as the 12th chief minister of the state on February 2, after Hemant Soren stepped down from the post prior to his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case. Along with Soren, two ministers- Alamgir Alam of Congress and Satyanand Bhokta of RJD, also took oath.

According to constitutional provisions, Jharkhand can have a maximum of 12 ministers, including the chief minister. During the previous Hemant Soren government's term, one berth remained vacant.

Jharkhand’s JMM-led coalition government headed by Chief Minister Champai Soren won the vote of confidence on February 5. Forty-seven legislators voted in favour of the confidence motion in the 81-member assembly, while 29 MLAs opposed it.

(With PTI inputs)