BHOPAL: Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is all set to form ministry. The central leadership of BJP stopped Chouhan from constituting the cabinet, but he took permission from the top bosses to do so, due to criticism from various quarters.
Nevertheless, the number of ministers to be included in the cabinet has come in the way of forming the cabinet.
Since the lockdown is in effect, Chouhan prefers small cabinet comprising eight ministers. The main aim is to deal with the coronavirus crisis.
The BJP leaders aspiring for cabinet berths and the supporters of Jyotiraditya Scindia, who were ministers in the Congress government, want that they should be sworn in along with all ministers.
Nevertheless, Chouhan wants to form a small cabinet and expand it next month inducting more ministers.
If the former ministers and Scindia’s supporters are not given berths in the cabinet, the Congress will attack the government which is already in a bind due to the corona pandemic.
According to sources in the BJP, both Chouhan and Scindia discussed about the formation of cabinet. Scindia also spoke about it with the party’s central leadership.
Nevertheless, if it is decided that all former ministers will be sworn in together, the ministry will be formed after April 20. If Chouhan is permitted to form a small cabinet, he will do so in a day or two.
The names of leaders, which Chouhan has sent to the central leadership for cabinet berths, are Narottam Mishra, Gopal Bhargava, Bhupendra Singh, Rampal Singh, Gauri Shanker Bisen, Rajendra Shukla, Meena Singh, Tulsiram Silawat and Pradyumnya Singh Tomar.
