Bhopal: With just few months to go for the Assembly elections, hopes of several MLAs, aspiring to become ministers, have dashed to the ground. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, after coming to power in 2013 for third time, did cabinet expansion only twice. He had hinted for third expansion too but the upcoming assembly polls have automatically put an end to the speculations.
There are around twenty MLAs whose names were highlighted during cabinet expansion but they could not become minister in past five years despite their persistent efforts. Gopilal Jatav, Ramakant Tiwari, Meena Singh, Nanabhau Mohor, Chandrabhan Singh, Nirmala Bhuria, Ranjana Baghel, Mahendra Hardia, Jagdish Devra and Kailash Chawla were ministers in previous governments of BJP but they did not get chance to become minister in the third term of BJP government in the state.
Amongst MLAs, Kedarnath Shukla, Girish Gautam, Omprakash Saklecha, Pradeep Laria, Ramlal Rotel, Hemant Khandelwal, Rajendra Pandey, Sudarshan Gupta, Ramesh Mendola and Yashpal Sisodia could not get ministerial berth.
After BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, resigning from ministership, it was for the first time when there was no minister in the government representing Indore. The internal tussle for dominance amongst Indore leaders resulted in no one becoming minister from Indore in state government. Distribution of sweets at their places for cabinet expansion and assembling of their followers in the state capital also took place.
The MLAs who could not become minister have pain of not getting ministerial post but they maintain that it would not make any difference in their contesting assembly polls this time. There are several MLAs who could not become ministers in fifteen years of BJP government. BJP leaders had promised MLA from Devtalab, Girish Gautam a ministerial post during election campaigning in 2003 but he was not made minister in past fifteen years.
Leads to more developmental works: Chandrabhan Singh
MLA from Chhindwara, Chandrabhan Singh said if one becomes minister and get good portfolio then more developmental works could be done. Though developmental works could also be done being an MLA, he added. Singh said he was minister when BJP came to power in 2003. He said he could not get ministerial post as there was a limit of 15 per cent in cabinet expansion.
It is better to go to polls as MLA: Chawla
Former minister and MLA from Manasa, Kailash Chawla said being an MLA during elections has more benefits. According to Chawla, public and party workers have more expectations from a minister. He said it is easier to seek votes in elections as MLA but more developmental works could be done in constituency as minister.
My name was highlighted by media only: Rotel
MLA from Anuppur Ramlal Rotel said his not being included in cabinet does not make any difference as he was never a minister. Rotel said only media highlighted his name for cabinet expansion. He added that he got several developmental works done in his constituency being an MLA.
