Expansion of Jharkhand cabinet soon, says Chief Minister Champai Soren

The cabinet expansion of the Jharkhand government led by Chief Minister Champai Soren is likely to take place soon after he won the floor test in the state Assembly. Champai Soren on Tuesday said the cabinet expansion will take place soon and his government will carry forward the schemes launched under his predecessor Hemant Soren.

He added that the Hemant Soren government had the mandate to rule for five years but became a victim of a “high-level conspiracy”.

Speculations are rife that the candidate for a cabinet berth will be finalised by Wednesday and the new ministers will be sworn in by Thursday.

The Jharkhand cabinet has the provision of 12 berths, which is 15 per cent of the total strength (81) of the Legislative Assembly.

Of these, three are already occupied with Champai Soren as Chief Minister and Congress’s Alamgir Alan and Rashtriya Janata Dal’s (RJD) Satyanand Bhogta as ministers. They were sworn in on the same day as Soren on February 2.

Champai’s predecessor Hemant Soren had kept a berth vacant since last year. However, the new chief minister might not adopt the same formula and the remaining nine cabinet berths could be filled ahead of the budget session which is likely to commence on February 23.

The Congress legislature party leader and parliamentary affairs minister, Alamgir Alam, said that consultations are underway, and names would be finalised soon with the consent of the central leadership.

Meanwhile, a few Congress and JMM leaders have opened up and said that they deserve to be inducted as ministers. JMM leader Stephen Marandi, who is close to the Soren family, said he looks forward to being entrusted with the responsibility of a minister.

Hemant Soren’s sister-in-law, Sita Soren, has also expressed her interest in a cabinet berth and said JMM supremo Shibu Soren has given his blessings for the new assignment.

However, sources said only Basant Soren — Hemant Soren’s brother, could be the only cabinet minister from the Soren family and he might be offered the position of deputy chief minister.

Congress legislator Irfan Ansari also indicated his interest in the health portfolio and said the central leadership should consider his qualifications — an MBBS and an MD in medicine.