After Rajasthan cabinet expansion, portfolio distribution a new challenge

A day after the oath taking ceremony in Rajasthan, the cabinet ministers and ministers of state are eagerly awaiting the portfolio distribution as the high command team from Delhi, sources said, is having a major say in it.

New political equations are being worked out in the distribution of portfolios while most of the old ministers' portfolios are set to be changed, sources said.

A senior party leader told IANS, "The High Command is monitoring all the development right from picking new faces in the cabinet to their portfolios, hence, the delay," he said, adding, "In fact, had this distribution been done a year back, we could have been settled by now for the 2023 elections," he added.

Meanwhile, all eyes are on whether Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot will continue with all big portfolios including the Finance, ACB and IT or if other ministers shall get a few of them.

Hemaram Choudhary from the Sachin Pilot camp, who resigned in May this year accusing the state government of ignoring his constituency, may be made Revenue Minister. He has handled this department earlier too.

Further, Dalit and ST ministers are likely to get strong portfolios as earlier, as issues were raised in Assembly accusing state government of giving weak portfolios to SC/ST and Dalit ministers.

Meanwhile, PCC chief Govind Singh Dotasra rushed to Delhi on a two-day visit on Monday where he will meet veteran leaders including General Secretary (Organisation) K.C. Venugopal, Ajay Maken, Randeep Surjewala and Pawan Bansal to discuss the organisational expansion.

--IANS

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