MEETS PM Modi, Amit Shah;
New Delhi : The demand for the resignation of Shivraj Singh Chouhan along with other tainted ministers may have led to a wash out of the monsoon session so far, but BJP is ready to give him a long rope. After standing firmly with Chouhan on the Vyapam scam, the party leadership has now given him the green signal to go for a cabinet expansion.
There are indications that Shivraj may have strengthened his position after the embarrassment over the Vyapam scam. But the BJP top brass did ask Shivraj to pull up his socks fast and do the needful to control the political damage caused to the party and the govt.
Besides, Shivraj Chouhan had detailed discussions with BJP chief Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“Yes I am going for a cabinet expansion very soon”, confirmed the chief minister after a series of high level meetings in the national capital. Chouhan had been camping in Delhi for two days along with organising secretary Arvind Menon.
Sources indicated that Babulal Gaur may be on his way out after complaints piled up against him for his recent ‘objectionable’ comments. Apart from filling up some vacancies such as the one effected by the resignation of Kailash Vijayvargiya, the CM may induct new faces into the cabinet. Sources said he is also likely to fill up the vacant posts of various corporations, boards and other organisations to tide over the negative political atmosphere.
Earlier on Thursday, Chouhan met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence.
The meeting comes amid government’s attempts to resume the Parliament that has been stalled over the alleged involvement of Chouhan in the killer Vyapam scam and Lalit Modi controversay that has also embroiled foreign minister Sushma Swaraj and Vasundhara Raje, Rajasthan CM.
The two leaders are also reported to have discussed the submission of the report by the CBI on Vyapam scam.
“The meeting was about the NITI (National Institution for Transforming India) Aayog’s sub-group, of which I am the convener. All the memebers of the sub-group have submitted their recommendations and I informed the prime minister about the same”, Chauhan said.
“The sub-group has completed its work. After arriving at a concensus on the recommendations, we will submit our report,” said a statement released by the Madhya Pradesh government.
Questions are also been asked about possible removal of state Home Minister Babulal Gaur from the Cabinet.
There have been differences between Chouhan and Gaur, a former chief minister of the state, over various issues including the Vyapam scam, party sources said.
Smita Mishra
