The Hindu : National : Raje ‘punishes’ dissident Ministers

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Dec 26, 2007
ePaper

National

National

Raje ‘punishes’ dissident Ministers

Special Correspondent

Allocates coveted departments to new Ministers

Sends across a message to critics to “fall in line”
Assembly elections are due late next year

JAIPUR: In the much-awaited Cabinet reshuffle here after Monday’s expansion, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje took away important portfolios from the dissident Ministers on Tuesday and allocated coveted departments to the newly inducted Ministers, apparently sending across a stern message to critics to “fall in line” with her.

Ms. Raje – emboldened by the free hand given to her after the Bharatiya Janata Party’s resounding victory in Gujarat – cut to size the leaders of the dissident camp, Narpat Singh Rajvi and Ghanshyam Tiwari, by taking away the Industries and Education portfolios, respectively, from them.

While Mr. Tiwari has been made the new Food and Civil Supplies Minister to fill up the post vacated by Kirorilal Meena who resigned from the Cabinet, Mr. Rajvi has been given the Medical and Health portfolio, along with the Family Welfare, Medical Education and Ayurveda Departments.

Medical and Health Minister Digambar Singh has been appointed the new Industries Minister to replace Mr. Rajvi and also given the charge of Government Enterprises, Non-Resident Indians and Khadi and Village Industries Departments in the reshuffle orders issued on Tuesday evening.

Though Ms. Raje was out of the State to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi in Ahmedabad and later visit New Delhi, the reshuffle brought into effect on her instructions held out a clear message that it is she who holds the reins of the party in the State where Assembly elections are due late next year.

Some solace

The only solace for Mr. Tiwari was that he was allowed to retain the Law and Justice Department. Women and Child Development Minister Kanakmal Katara, a tribal who sided with the Meena community during the recent Gujjar agitation, was divested of the Tribal Area Development portfolio and four other less significant departments.

Forest and Environment Minister Laxminarain Dave has had to pay the price for several controversies and corruption charges surrounding him. He has been given the Disaster Management and Relief portfolio vacated by Mr. Kirorilal Meena and allowed to retain the Mineral Department.

Agricultural Minister Prabhulal Saini has been given the additional charge of Technical Education (Agriculture), while the Youth and Sports Department has been taken away from Transport Minister Mohammed Yunus Khan.

Among the Ministers sworn in on Monday, Nathu Singh Gujjar was appointed the new Cooperative Minister. The department was taken away recently from Social Welfare Minister Madan Dilawar.

Kalicharan Saraf got the Education portfolio, covering primary, secondary and higher education along with all subsidiary departments such as Sanskrit education, technical education (engineering), language and linguistic minorities. All these departments were looked after earlier by Mr. Tiwari.

While Nandlal Meena is the new Tribal Area Development Minister, Ramkishore Meena has been appointed the Labour and Employment Minster and also given charge of General Administration, Estate and Motor Garage Departments.

Newly inducted Surendra Goyal replaced the Minister of State for Urban Development, Housing and Local Self Government, Pratap Singh Singhvi. Mr. Singhvi had come in for a lot of flak from the lobbies of builders and colonisers.

Mr. Singhvi has been given independent charge of Forest and Environment, and Youth and Sports Departments.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National