Haryana cabinet expansion: Names finalised, induction of new ministers likely on Nov 12

The first expansion of the Manohar Lal Khattar-led Haryana cabinet is likely to take place on Tuesday as the names of those to be inducted as new ministers were finalised on Sunday, sources said.

Khattar (65) took oath as the chief minister for the second time on October 27 and Dushyant Chautala (31), great grandson of former deputy prime minister, late Devi Lal, was sworn-in as his deputy as the BJP formed the government with the help of the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) in Haryana. Seven Independents are also supporting the government.

Khattar had a lengthy meeting with Union Home Minister and BJP president Amit Shah at the latter's residence in Delhi on Sunday, BJP sources said.

A few other senior BJP leaders were also present at the meeting, they said.

After consulting senior leaders of his party in Delhi, the names of those who are to be inducted into the cabinet have been finalised and coalition partner JJP has been taken into confidence, the sources said, adding if things go as scheduled, the new ministers will take oath on November 12, which coincides with the 550th birth anniversary of Sikh faith founder Guru Nanak Dev.

Khattar and his Deputy, Chautala, had taken oath on Diwali day.

Among the frontrunners from the Bharatiya Janata Party for ministerial berths include six-time MLA Anil Vij, former Speaker Kanwar Pal, Seema Trikha, Mahipal Dhanda, Deepak Mangla, Ganshyam Saraf while Ram Kumar Gautam, Ishwar Singh or Anoop Dhanak are probables from JJP and the Independents likely to be inducted into the cabinet are Ranjit Chautala and Balraj Kundu.

The polls in Haryana were held on October 21 and results declared on October 24. The BJP had sealed a deal with the Chautala-led JJP to form the government in Haryana after the saffron party fell short of six seats from the majority mark in the assembly election.

In the 90-member assembly, the BJP had won 40, JJP 10, Congress 3, INLD and the Haryana Lokhit Party one each, while seven Independents also won.

The chief minister recently announced to set up a panel to monitor the implementation of the Common Minimum Programme of the BJP and the JJP.

Both the coalition partners have said they will provide a stable government in Haryana.