Chhattisgarh cabinet expansion: Nine BJP MLAs took oath as ministers

RAIPUR: Nine BJP MLAs on Friday took oath as ministers in the Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai-led BJP government in Chhattisgarh, taking the strength of the cabinet o 12. MLAs, who took oath as ministers include Brijmohan Agrawal, Ram Vichar Netam, Dayaldas Baghel, Kedar Kashyap, Lakhanlal Dewangan, Shyam Bihari Jaiswal, OP Choudhary, Tankram Verma and Laxmi Rajwade.

Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan administered the oath of office and secrecy to nine MLAs, during a function held here at Raj Bhavan. State Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said while speaking to ANI, "All ministers will work for the welfare of Chhattisgarh. I congratulate them and wish them luck."

On taking oath as Chhattisgarh minister, BJP MLA Lakshmi Rajwade told ANI, "BJP has allowed a small party worker like me. I am happy that I will represent not just the Bhatgaon constituency but the entire state... Women would be given priority and everything is possible under PM Modi's guarantee. While giving priority to women, I will work according to the directions of the party..." BJP MLA Shyam Bihari Jaiswal who also took oath said while speaking to ANI, "I want to thank the party leadership that a son of a small farmer family like me is given the responsibility of a minister in the state. I thank the women, youth and farmers of the state for forming the BJP government... Our priority would be to double the income of the farmers..."

After taking the oath as a minister, BJP MLA Kedar Kashyap said, "I thank the state unit, national unit and the CM for giving me the opportunity. I will try and meet their expectations. Our priority is to take the guarantees of PM Modi to every house household..." Chhattisgarh Assembly Speaker Raman Singh greeted all the new nine ministers. "Greetings to all the 9 ministers. They will execute the manifesto..."

Vishnu Sai took his oath along with Deputy Chief Ministers Arun Sao and Vijay Sharma at Science College Ground in Chhattisgarh's Raipur on December 13. As per constitutional norms, Chhattisgarh, which has a 90-member assembly, can have a maximum of 13 ministers, including the chief minister.

The polling in the state was held in two phases, with the first on November 7 featuring 223 candidates and the second seeing 958 candidates put their electoral fates to the test on November 17. Of the 90 assembly constituencies in Chhattisgarh, the BJP bagged 54 while the Congress won 35.