Bhopal: Rajya Sabha MP Jyotiraditya Scindia, who has visited Bhopal for the third time since the by-elections were held, had to return home empty-handed. Scindia wants expansion of the ministry as early as possible so that his loyalists, Govind Singh Rajput and Tulsi Silawat, may be sworn in.
Scindia is also heaping pressure on the government for political appointments for Imarti Devi, Girraj Dandotia and his other supporters.
Nevertheless, cold water seems to have been thrown on Scindia’s proposition this time, too.
He held talks on those issues with Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, but they remained inconclusive. Scindia spoke to Chouhan twice about those two issues earlier, but failed to find a solution.
About ministry expansion, Chouhan has clearly said to media persons that wiping out the mafia from the state is more important than anything else. Scindia has also said ministry expansion is the chief minister’s prerogative. Two months have passed since Silawat and Rajput resigned from the Cabinet. Apart from that, the results of the by-elections were out nearly one and a half months ago.
There was speculation that the ministry would be expanded before the Assembly session begins on Monday. Both Silawat and Rajput will be present in the House as legislators.
As a result of Scindia’s talks with the chief minister and party organisation remaining incomplete, there is edginess among his supporters. On the other hand, the supporters of Silawat and those of Rajput expected that both would be sworn in just after the announcement of bypoll results. Now, a decision on those two issues may be taken only after the central leadership gives the green light for it.
