38-member MP Ministry sworn in

BHOPAL, Dec 6 (PTI) — A new look two-tier, 38-member ministry, comprising 24 Cabinet ministers, two ministers of state with independent charge and 12 ministers of state, was sworn in today in Madhya Pradesh.

The oaths of office and secrecy were administered by the state Governor, Dr Bhai Mahavir, at a well-attended function on the lawns of Raj Bhavan here.

The Chief Minister, Mr Digvijay Singh, who was sworn in on Tuesday, sprang a surprise by inducting 18 members who were not part of his earlier ministry. He dropped eight Cabinet ministers, including Deputy Chief Minister Subhas Yadav, and three ministers of state who were part of his earlier Council of Ministers.

A total of 31 ministers had won the November 25 assembly elections and of them 20 have been sworn in and 11 left out.

The others who failed to make it again are Mr Rajendra Prasad Shukla, Mr Harvansh Singh, Mr Prem Narayan Thakur, Mr Hazarilal Raghuvanshi, Mr Bisahu Lal Singh, Mr Jhitru Ram Baghel and Mr Motilal Dave.

The three ministers of state who have not been included again are Mr K.P. Singh, Mr Madhav Singh Dhruv and Mr Ganpat Singh Uikey.

The portfolios of the new ministers would be announced later.

Those who were sworn in as Cabinet ministers are — Ms Jamuna Devi, Ms Urmila Singh, Mr Shrawan Patel, Mr Ajay Mushran, Mr Mahendra Singh Kalukheda, Mr Ram Chandra Singh Deo, Mr Indrajeet Kumar Patel, Mr Narendra Nahata, Mr Prem Sai Singh, Mr Ratnesh Solomon, Mr Ravindra Choubey, Mr Vijay Laxmi Sadho, Mr Satya Narayan Sharma, Mr Subhash Sojatia, Mr Ajay Singh, Mr Chanesh Ram Rathia, Mr Mahendra Boudh, Mr Dhanesh Patila, Mr Krishna Kumar Gupta, Mr Deepak Saxena, Mr Nand Kumar Patel, Mr Likhi Ram Kawre, Mr Sajjan Verma and Mr Hukum Singh Karada.

Of these, those who were not members of the earlier Mr Digvijay Singh ministry are Mr Shrawan Patel, Mr Ram Chandra Singh Deo, Mr Ajay Singh, Mr Mahendra Boudh, Mr Krishna Kumar Gupta and Mr Sajjan Verma.

The two ministers of state are Mr Arif Aqueel and Mr Doman Singh Nagpure of the Republican Party of India (Khobragade), both of whom are becoming ministers for the first time.

The 12 ministers of state are Ganga Bai Ureti, Mr Govind Singh, Mr Teji Lal Sareyam, Mr Veer Singh Raghuvanshi, Mr Shanker Sodhi, Mr Raja Pateria, Mr Bhupesh Baghel, Mr Dhynendra Sahu, Mr Ghanshyam Patidar, Mr Bala Bachchan, Choudhary Chandrabhan Singh and Mr Puran Singh Beria.

Of these, the new faces include Ms Ganga Bai Ureti, Mr Govind Singh, Mr Veer Singh Raghuvanshi, Mr Shanker Sodhi, Mr Raja Pateria, Mr Bhupes Baghel, Mr Ghanshyam Patidar, and Mr Bala Bachchan.