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Updated November 21st, 2021 at 07:47 IST

Rajasthan rejig: 11 cabinet ministers & 4 MoS to be sworn in including 5 Pilot loyalists

Putting an end to the Rajasthan power tussle, 15 Congress MLAs are set be sworn in as ministers on Sunday - 5 from the Sachin Pilot camp and 6 from Gehlot camp

Rajasthan
IMAGE: PTI | Image:self
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Putting an end to the Rajasthan power tussle, 15 Congress MLAs are set be sworn in as ministers on Sunday at 4 PM - 5 from the Sachin Pilot camp and 6 from the Ashok Gehlot camp. As per the list of ministers, Pilot 'loyalists' Hemaram Choudhary, Murari Lal Meena, Zahida Khan, Rajendra Singh Gudha and Brijendra Ola have secured ministerial berths with Choudhury securing a cabinet berth. Other cabinet ministers to be sworn in are -Mahendrajeet Singh Malviya, Shakuntala Rawat, Govind Ram Meghwal, Mahesh Joshi, Ramlal Jat,  Vishvendra Singh, Mamta Bhupesh, Tikaram Juli, Ramesh Meena, Bhajanlal Jatav.

15 ministers to be sworn in - 11 cabinet, 4 MoS

In a last-ditch attempt to pacify all 'camps', CM Gehlot made all cabinet ministers resign on Saturday and submitted a new list of cabinet ministers to Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra on Saturday. Prior to this move, state's education minister Govind Singh Dotasara, health minister Raghu Sharma and revenue minister Harish Chaudhary resigned citing Congress' "one leader-one post" policy. Dotsara is Rajasthan PCC chief while  Chaudhry is  AICC in-charge of Punjab and Sharma is AICC incharge of Gujarat.

Recently, ex-Dy CM Sachin Pilot and  CM Ashok Gehlot met with Congress chief Sonia Gandhi in Delhi to discuss cabinet expansion. Sources report that Pilot was seeking clarity about his 'future role' in the party. Recently, Pilot expressed dissatisfaction over his concerns not being addressed by the three-member committee in the last one year, warning of an imminent split in the party if no solution is found.

Sachin Pilot's failed rebellion

After Jyotiraditya Scindia's successful rebellion against the erstwhile Kamal Nath-led Madhya Pradesh government in March 2020, his peer Sachin Pilot too staged a rebellion in July, flying off to Delhi with 18 MLAs. Rajasthan's Special Operations Group (SOG) issued notice to him in connection with the alleged involvement of BJP leaders for toppling the state government - with BJP members hinting that Pilot was reportedly in touch with the BJP camp to become the CM. The Gehlot goverment was thrown into jeopardy as Congress' numbers reduced to 88, with the Speaker immediately issuing disqualification notices Pilot & his 18 MLAs from the Assembly. Congress later relieved Pilot of his ministries as well as posts as PCC chief and Deputy CM.

The political saga reached the Rajasthan High Court as Pilot and his MLAs challenged their disqualification - with the HC ordering maintaining the 'status quo'. With Gehlot managing to maintain his flock while Congress top brass - Rahul, Priyanka and Sonia Gandhi, KC Venugopal, Ahmed Patel - held talks with Pilot and his miffed MLAs and Pilot was successfully brought back into the party's fold. The Gehlot government then won the confidence motion in the Assembly, cutting Pilot to size.

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Published November 21st, 2021 at 07:47 IST

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