Rajesh Dharmani, Yadvinder Goma inducted as ministers in Himachal
Shimla, December 12
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today inducted two ministers into the Cabinet, raising its strength to 11. Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla administered the oath of office to Rajesh Dharmani (51), a three-time MLA from Ghumarwin in Bilaspur district, and Yadvinder Goma (37), a two-time legislator from Jaisinghpur in Kangra, at Raj Bhawan. Both Dharmani and Goma are engineers by profession and have MBA degrees as well.
Rajesh Dharmani (Ghumarwin)
- Rajesh Dharmani was born at Ghumarwin in Bilaspur district on April 2, 1972. He had done B. Tech (Civil) from the NIT, Hamirpur, and MBA from IGNOU
- He had been a member of the NSUI
- He was the secretary of AICC and HPCC
- He was elected MLA for the first time in 2007 and again in 2012.
- He remained a Chief Parliamentary Secretary from 2013 to May 2017
- He was elected MLA for the third time in the Assembly elections last year
Yadvinder Goma (Jaisinghpur)
- Yadvinder Goma’s father Milkhi Ram Goma was also an MLA from the Rajgir Assembly seat, which was renamed Jaisinghpur after 2012. He was born at Palampur in Kangra on February 4, 1986
- He has done B.Tech (Mechanical) and also holds an MBA degree. He had held several posts in the Congress
- He was elected to the Assembly for the first time in 2012. This is his second term
- He was president of the Himachal Pradesh SC Cell from 2019 to 2021
However, Sukhu left one ministerial berth vacant, keeping the hopes of other aspirants alive. With the Cabinet expansion after a long wait of one year, the possibility of a reshuffle in the portfolios of the ministers cannot be ruled out. All ministers and a large number of MLAs were present at the swearing-in ceremony. Supporters of the two ministers were present in a large number at the Raj Bhawan.
“The Cabinet expansion has been done with the objective of striking a regional and caste balance,” said Sukhu after the oath ceremony. He added that his Cabinet was the smallest and it was only now that the need for its expansion was felt.
He said that while one berth in the Cabinet was still vacant, other districts such as Mandi would get representation on the posts of Deputy Speaker, Chief Whip and Whip in the Vidhan Sabha. “Since the two ministers will be given portfolios, the possibility of minor changes in portfolios of other ministers cannot be ruled out,” he added.
