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Cabinet expansion: Rajasthan gets its due, almost

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Rohit Parihar
Rohit PariharNov 10, 2014 | 14:20

Cabinet expansion: Rajasthan gets its due, almost

Rajasthan got its due, partly, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi inducted two ministers of state, Sanwar Lal Jat and Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, in his first Cabinet expansion. Both of them had defeated heavyweight Congress ministers.

Saudan Singh, RSS leader in charge of Rajasthan, had spoken to chief minister of Rajasthan Vasundhara Raje discussing various names that were to be included in the Cabinet.

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Raje displayed an open mind and avoided taking any rigid stand on any name or the numbers though she would have liked to have one Cabinet rank for her state.

The two leaders agreed on deserving names that suited profile of Modi’s cabinet and balanced caste equations in state.

There were no direct consultation between Modi and Raje nor was she invited for it as was speculated in a section of media but she was there for the expansion ceremony.

In May, her suggestions of three to four ministers from the state on the basis of caste and experience, were ignored given Modi’s preference for a small ministry and had fuelled speculation about souring of relations between the two leaders.

This time, both sides gave each other enough respect and space. Jat had defeated Sachin Pilot, Union minister of state and PCC president, and Rathore, CP Joshi, AICC general secretary, former union cabinet minister and former PCC president.  

The state has now three ministers of state which is still not commensurate with its giant-killing status - the BJP won all 25 seats in general elections in May.

However, most of the MPs are inexperienced. The most experienced Nihal Chand Meghwal, four-time MP, has been already made a minister of state.

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The three time MP Dushyant Singh, son of Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje is finding it difficult to become a minister given Modi’s reluctance to bring kin of ministers and chief ministers into his cabinet.

The state can hope to have more ministers only around the time elections to UP and Bihar are over and Rajasthan gets into electoral mode.

Jat, who had to resign as cabinet minister in Raje's Cabinet last month, as he had won the Lok Sabha elections from Ajmer defeating Sachin Pilot, PCC president had to be compensated.

Jat, a veteran in state politics, was feeling left out after Raje’s cabinet expansion, feeling a loss of power and unsure about his future.

His inclusion was essential to pacify Jats in the state. Col Sona Ram Chaudhary, another Jat leader from the state who defeated Jawant Singh, former defence minister and BJP rebel, was not acceptable because he had defected from Congress after losing assembly polls.

Rathore too was always a front runner despite being a first time an MP. His name was weighed against some Rajput contenders but his highly successful profile as a sportsperson and impeccable image has always favoured him heavily.

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Rathore has emerged a respectable politician in the state and is becoming popular among youth who regard him as an icon.

Last updated: November 10, 2014 | 14:20
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