No Cabinet expansion in Himachal, Deputy CM gets Cooperation Department

Pratibha Chauhan

Shimla, May 15

Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri was today given the charge of Cooperation Department, in addition to his three current portfolios. However, there was complete uncertainty over the impending Cabinet expansion.

Agnihotri would now look after Jal Shakti, Transport, Language, Art and Culture and Cooperation departments. There was speculation for the past some time that he could be given additional portfolios. However, three Cabinet berths are still vacant.

Party sources said that the possibility of a Cabinet expansion after the Lok Sabha elections next year could not be ruled out. They added that Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had discussed the issue with the high command during his recent visit to New Delhi but still no deadline had been given for the Cabinet expansion.

It was felt that the Cabinet expansion could be done immediately after the Karnataka elections. The Chief Minister is having a tough time taking the final call, as the list of aspirants for ministerial berths is long.

It is likely that Kangra could be given more representation. At present, Chander Kumar Chaudhary is the only Cabinet minister from Kangra.

The names of Dharamsala MLA Sudhir Sharma and Jaisinghpur legislator Yadvinder Goma from Kangra district are doing the rounds. Rajesh Dharmani, MLA from Ghumarwin, is another probable; Bilaspur district is yet to get representation in the Cabinet.

Sujanpur MLA Rajinder Rana has been lobbying hard for a ministerial berth but as the Chief Minister hails from Hamirpur, another minister from the district seems unlikely.

Lobbying on for ministerial berths

• The names of Dharamsala MLA Sudhir Sharma and Jaisinghpur MLA Yadvinder Goma from Kangra district are doing the rounds
• Ghumarwin MLA Rajesh Dharmani is another contender as Bilaspur district is yet to get representation in the Cabinet
• Sujanpur MLA Rajinder Rana has been lobbying hard for a ministerial berth