Process to expand the Cabinet in Madhya Pradesh postponed yet again

It is now crystal clear that the BJP central leadership did not approve the list of probable ministers suggested by the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Thus it is for the third time that the process of Cabinet expansion has been postponed.

Despite spending two days in New Delhi on intense lobbying, meeting Home Minister Amit Shah, party chief J. P. Nadda and even Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chouhan drew a blank and returned to Bhopal empty hand. On reaching Bhopal he remained tight-lipped and resumed consultation with state leaders. The only thing Chouhan said was that Cabinet expansion will not take place on July 1.

“It will be done very soon. Not tomorrow. May be after that,” Chouhan said as he headed for the state party HQ to discuss the names of the probables with party state president VD Sharma.

Chouhan took over as Chief Minister on March 23. Since then he has been trying to expand his ministry without success. What is holding expansion? There are wide speculations. The main factors listed so far are that creation of two posts of Deputy Chief Ministers, dropping some such party MLAs who have been ministers since 2003, inclusion of new faces – some senior and some young. To Chouhan, these suggestions are not acceptable. Therefore he was sent back and told to continue parleys with state leaders and ministerial aspirants.

BJP heavyweight Narottam Mishra and Jyotiraditya Scindia aide Tulsiram Silawat are said to be the two choices for deputy CM. Mishra, in fact, had flown to Delhi on Monday and met top BJP central leaders.

As the suspense stretches, one party insider disclosed that the central BJP leadership is keen to induct two deputy CMs as promised ahead of Jyotiraditya Scindia’s joining the saffron party with 22 MLAs in March this year. Also, the central leadership is keen to get young blood into the Shivraj Singh Chouhan Cabinet, added sources. This could mean that a few of the old guards may have to give way.

Sources said differences persist over the candidates’ list. Scindia insists on a deputy CM post and 11 ministers from his camp. Officially, however BJP denies the two deputy CM formula. “There was no discussion on inducting two deputy CMs in the cabinet. The party leadership is keen to have young faces in the team, though. Seventeen of our ministers had lost the 2018 assembly elections so we cannot take a chance with old timers. But we cannot ignore them, either,” said a senior state BJP functionary who was in New Delhi on Monday.

During meeting with central leaders, one of the points of contention was the repetition of some names who have been in the Shivraj cabinet for three terms, say sources.

Chouhan is said to be keen to bring back his old team, but the party leadership wants at least 12 seniors dropped from the list. Several senior leaders, who have three terms or more as MLAs but never got a cabinet berth, are keen to have their say this time. Their resentment will not go down well with party worker. On Tuesday, former leader of opposition Gopal Bhargava also reacted sharply, cautioning that “rejecting senior MLAs is not good for the party”.

As of now, if central formula is implemented, at least 12 senior MLAs and former ministers may lose out. To add to the complications, team Scindia has suggested few more names to be included in the Cabinet, say sources.

Incidentally the Congress chose to observe 100 days of BJP in office as ‘black day’. Various programmes were held all over the state to mark the day. Congress workers in black dress held demonstrations and burnt effigies of BJP leaders.

Marking the occasion, PCC Chief Kamal Nath tweeted, “Today was observed as 100th day of the murder of democracy throughout the state. Everyone knows how our elected government, our mandated government, was brought down through a conspiracy and coup. Everyone witnessed the kind of game played by BJP in the state”.

The PCC chief said in another tweet that some BJP leaders “have accepted that the conspiracy was implemented under the direction of the central leadership”. “Our government was toppled because we waived the debts of the farmers, generated employment for youth, respected and protected women and were changing the direction of the state,” Nath tweeted.

Accusing the government of failing to tackle Corona crisis, Nath said that farmers, migrant labours and the poor are in distress. “People are burdened with huge electricity bills, soaring prices of petrol and diesel and rising inflation,” he tweeted.

Meanwhile Congress media in-charge Jitu Patwari on Tuesday alleged that phones of former chief minister Kamal Nath’s aides, former Congress ministers and office bearers and other party leaders are being tapped by the BJP-run administration.

“We know who all are behind the phone surveillance on our leaders and office bearers,” Patwari said, alleging that a section of officials is acting with prejudice. Former minister Sajjan Singh Verma said: “There is no government order to tap phone of opposition leaders, but we have the names of officials who are involved in this and we will make the revelations”.