Seven Rajasthan ministers were sworn in on Wednesday as Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot after dropping five ministers reshuffled his council of ministers to give a new look to his government battling allegations of sleaze and corruption.
All 27 ministers — 16 of cabinet rank and 11 junior ministers — had given their resignation letters to the Chief Minister on Tuesday. Regrouping his team, Mr. Gehlot showed the door to six ministers, picked five new ones, promoted one to cabinet rank and reinducted another.
While Manju Meghawal, Naseem Akhtar, Vinod Chaudhary, Virendra Beniwal and Dayaram Parmar are the new faces, Amin Khan has been reinducted and Ashok Bharwa elevated from MoS to cabinet rank.
Mr Beinwal and Mr Parmar have been made Ministers of State with independent charge. Mr. Khan, who had caused considerable embarrassment by his comment on President Pratibha Patil, has also been made MoS (Independent charge).
Governor Shivraj Patil administered them oath of office.
Those who have been dropped are Bhanwarlal Meghawal (education), Bharosilal Jatav (motor garage),Pramod Jain Bhaya (PWD) and Golma Devi who had resigned earlier.
Ram Lal Jat, who had resigned as Minister of State for Forest and Environment following allegation of being involved with a woman, also finds no place in the new team.
Mr. Gehlot had sent the resignation letters of these five to the Governor for acceptance.
The Chief Minister insisted that the rejig exercise has nothing to do with Gopalgarh violence or the missing nurse case.
Keywords: Ashok Gehlot, Rajasthan cabinet, mass resignation, cabinet reshuffle, Bhanwari missing case
