Rupani to expand cabinet, Cong turncoat likely to be minister

Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani will expand his cabinet on Saturday and may induct three members including a Congress turncoat, Jawahar Chavda, official sources said.

The other two likely to become ministers are Yogesh Patel, the BJP MLA from Manjalpur in Vadodara district and Dharmendrasinh Jadeja, the legislator from Jamnagar West, also a former Congress leader.

"Yes it is true that cabinet expansion will take place today and three ministers will be inducted," Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Bharat Pandya confirmed.

Talking to PTI, Patel said apart from him, Chavda and Jadeja will also take oath as ministers.

A seven-time MLA from Manjalpur, Patel had expressed dissatisfaction against the BJP government over several issues including lack of representation from Vadodara region in the Rupani cabinet.

Chavda, a four-time lawmaker from Manavadar constituency and a prominent leader of OBC Ahir community, had Friday resigned as MLA. He had also quit the Congress and joined the BJP.

Jadeja had quit the Congress before 2017 assembly elections and joined the saffron party. He had contested elections from Jamnagar West constituency on a BJP ticket and won.

Rupani had expanded his cabinet in July 2018 and inducted Kunvarji Bavaliya, on the same day of the latter quitting the Congress.