In an interesting turn of events in Madhya Pradesh after the comfortable win of the BJP in the recent assembly bypolls, two of the three ministers who lost the byelections are yet to resign from their posts, while two senior MLAs who resigned as ministers just ahead of the elections are awaiting re-induction in the cabinet after being re-elected.
With Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan categorically saying he has no plans on cabinet expansion as of now, the situation is expected to continue for at least some time now.
Women and Child Development Minister Imarti Devi and minister of state for Farmers’ Welfare and Agriculture Development Girraj Dandotia – both loyalists of Rajya Sabha member Jyotiraditya Scindia—lost the bypolls, the results of which were announced on November 10. However, three days on, they are yet to resign from their posts.
Only one leader—Aindal Singh Kansana, who lost the byelections from Sumawali seat—resigned from the cabinet the day after the results. He held the public health engineering portfolio in the Chouhan cabinet.
All the three ministers had been inducted into Chouhan cabinet during an expansion on July 2, and going by the constitutional rules, they can be ministers till January 2. However, as Congress spokesman K.K. Mishra pointed out, they should resign on moral grounds, else it could only be construed an instance of political audacity.
Speaking to THE WEEK, Girraj Dandotia said he will “act as per orders,” indicating that he might not resign voluntarily. He said he will meet the chief minister after Diwali (November 14) and discuss the matter with him. Imarti Devi could not be contacted for comments, but sources close to her said she was expected in Bhopal next week and might take a decision after meeting the chief minister.
Sources added that both the ministers might try to get an assurance of “political rehabilitation” from the chief minister.
Meanwhile, two former ministers, Govind Singh Rajput and Tulsi Silawat, who resigned on October 21 as they had completed six months term as minister without being elected MLAs, are awaiting their re-induction in the cabinet. Both considered very close to Scindia, Rajput held the important portfolio of revenue and transport while Silawat held the portfolio of water resources in Chouhan cabinet.
Principal secretary of state assembly, A.P. Singh told THE WEEK that as of now Imarti Devi and Girraj Dandotia are still ministers in Chouhan cabinet while Rajput, Silawat and Kansana have ceased to be ministers following their respective resignations.
Sources said there should not be any doubt about re-induction of Rajput and Silawat, but the move might not come immediately as the BJP will also have some say in the next cabinet expansion as some senior BJP leaders who could not be adjusted earlier are also awaiting their turn.
Chouhan is expected to be away from Bhopal after Diwali, till about November 17 or 18, and the re-induction or any other decision is likely to come only after that, sources added.
BJP chief spokesman Deepak Vijayvargiya said cabinet expansion and reshuffle are prerogatives of the chief minister and he is expected to exercise them at suitable time.
In all,14 non-MLA ministers (former Congress MLAs) were inducted in the Chouhan cabinet, thus forming a big chunk of the 33-member cabinet. The MP cabinet can have only 35 members and with the chief minister there were 34, leaving little scope for maneuver for Chouhan. However, in the changed situation, there is likelihood of at least three new faces finding place in the cabinet, though how exactly the CM and the BJP goes about it remains to be seen.
