By Arun Pratap Singh
Dehradun, 19 Mar: Following the resignation of Parliamentary Affairs Minister Premchand Aggarwal, preparations for a cabinet reshuffle are in full swing. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami is currently in New Delhi and is actively engaging with senior party leaders at the Central level reportedly to discuss cabinet expansion. On the second day of his trip, he addressed reporters in New Delhi where he emphasised that BJP operates democratically, adhering to established rules and laws. While he did not discount an early expansion of the cabinet, he sought to assure the media that any developments in this regard would be shared with them in due course.
Meanwhile, political analysts assert that a cabinet expansion is imminent in Uttarakhand, given the fact that, currently, CM Dhami’s cabinet comprises only seven ministers, leaving five positions vacant. They remind that, apart from the Finance, Revenue, Urban Development and Parliamentary Affairs Departments, which are now being handled by the CM consequent upon the resignation of Premchand Aggarwal, he is now handling a total of 39 important departments like Transport, Industry, Power and Water Resources besides handling the usual departments like Protocol, Cabinet Affairs (Gopan), General Administration, etc., usually taken care of by the CMs only. The situation has been further complicated by the demise of Chandan Ramdas and the recent resignation of Premchand Aggarwal. As a result, the Chief Minister now oversees 39 departments, a significant increase from the 23 he previously managed before the demise of Chandan Ram Das, last year. This expanded workload has created challenges in ensuring the efficient functioning of the government, making cabinet expansion a pressing necessity.
Speaking to media persons in an informal manner, Dhami reiterated that the party’s work is conducted constitutionally, which sometimes causes some delays. However, he assured that progress is being made in alignment with current circumstances.
Sources in the BJP indicate that at least two ministers from each division will be inducted into the cabinet, with a focus on balancing new faces and experienced leaders. The reshuffle aims to maintain caste and regional equilibrium as well, which is of course a challenging task. Some sources also claimed that, in the cabinet reshuffle, some existing ministers may have to make way for new ones. They even claim that Speaker Ritu Khanduri Bhushan may be inducted in the Cabinet while one of the existing senior ministers might be appointed as speaker. Political pundits are, however, sceptical of such a development.
During his interaction with the media, the CM also hinted at significant announcements during grand celebrations on 23 March, marking the third anniversary of his government. The exact timeline for the expansion or the reshuffle will become clear upon Dhami’s return from Delhi, but changes are imminent. This expansion is expected to address the administrative challenges posed by the current vacancies and ensure a more balanced and effective governance structure.
It is also worth noting that a significant number of the BJP MLAs are also in Delhi to lobby for ministerial berths.
