Ex-union minister Prahlad Patel among 28 legislators inducted in MP cabinet

Twenty eight legislators, including former Union minister Prahlad Patel and BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, were on Monday inducted into the Madhya Pradesh cabinet led by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav.

A total of 18 MLAs took oath as cabinet ministers, while 10 were sworn in as ministers of state including six with independent charge.

Governor Mangubhai Patel administered the oath of office and secrecy to the ministers at a function held in the Raj Bhawan here.

Those who took oath as cabinet ministers are - Vijay Shah, Kailash Vijayvargiya, Prahlad Patel, Karan Singh Verma, Rakesh Singh, Uday Pratap Singh, Sampatia Uikey, Tulsiram Silawat, Aidal Singh Kansana, Govind Singh Rajput, Vishvas Sarang, Nirmala Bhuria, Narayan Singh Kushawaha, Nagar Singh Chouhan, Pradyumna Singh Tomar, Rakesh Shukla, Chaitanya Kashyap and Inder Singh Parmar.

The ministers of state with independent charge are Krishna Gaur, Dharmendra Bhav Lodhi, Dilip Jaiswal, Gautam Tetwal, Lakhan Patel and Narayan Singh Pawar.

The other MLAs who took oath as minister of state are Narendra Shivaji Patel, Pratima Bagri, Dilip Ahirwar, and Radha Singh, the official said.

Five women legislators - Sampatia, Uikey, Nirmala Bhuria, Krishna Gaur, Pratima Bagri and Radha Singh - are among those included in the ministry led by CM Yadav.

The total strength of the cabinet has now gone up to 31, including CM Yadav and two deputy chief ministers Rajendra Shukla and Jagdish Devda.

The maximum strength of the council of ministers in Madhya Pradesh, which has 230 MLAs, can be 35, including the CM.

In the state assembly elections held last month, the BJP won 163 seats and the Congress 66.

Yadav took oath as chief minister on December 13 along with Shukla and Devda who were sworn in as deputy CMs.