Bhopal: Two MPs from the state may get ministerial berths in the reshuffle of the Union council of ministers slated for Sunday. The BJP intends to give a higher representation to the state in the Central government in view of the assembly elections in the state, due in end-2018. With the Union MoS for Health Phaggan Singh Kulaste – a Lok Sabha member from Mandla – putting in his papers, the induction of MPs from the state in the union ministry is almost certain. The death of Anil Dave, who was the MoS for environment, in May this year, had already curtailed the strength of MP contingent in the Union government.
The Modi Government, it is believed, intends to take on board more ministers from the state where elections are due in the near future. Prahlad Patel, LS member from Damoh is the front-runner in the race for inclusion in the union ministry. The names of Jabalpur MP Rakesh Singh and Alok Sanjar, who has been elected to the Lok Sabha from Bhopal, are also in circulation. Contd. on P10
Sources say that the chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has already discussed the issue with BJP national chief Amit Shah and organisational general secretary Ramlal.
After the resignation of Kulaste, now five MPs elected from the state remain in the union ministry. They include Sushma Swaraj, Narendra Singh Tomar, Thawarchand Gehlot, Prakash Javdekar and M J Akbar. The latest turn of events has come as damper for the supporters of Uma Bharati and Kulaste but no one is ready to come out in the open for the fear of the national leadership of the party. Though Uma has been elected to the Lok Sabha from Uttar Pradesh, but she has considerable following in the state.
Won’t answer any question about resignation: Uma
The office of Uma Bharati has issued a statement saying that she would neither hear any question about her resignation nor answer it. She said that only Amit Shah or his nominee can answer questions about her resignation.
Bhopal
