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Syed Firdaus Ashraf in Mumbai
Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh on Tuesday inducted four ministers into his Cabinet increasing the strength of his ministry to 57.
The newly inducted ministers are Sanjay Uttamrao Deshmukh, Digambar Bagal (both independents from Digras and Karnada respectively), Ramdas Bodkhe (Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh MLA from Akok) and Dharmaraobaba Atram (Gondwana Ganatantra Party MLA from Sironcha).
The acting Governor C K Thakkar, who is also the Chief Justice of Maharashtra, administered the oath of office and secrecy to the new ministers in a simple ceremony at Raj Bhavan in Mumbai.
Thakkar took over after Dr P C Alexander resigned from his post and filed his nomination for the Rajya Sabha seat as an independent candidate.
"Everybody expects to be a minister once he gets elected as an MLA. And, I am no different," Bodkhe said. "I am happy that the Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh chose me for this post. I will do my work sincerely and try to strengthen the Democratic Front government."
However, both Deshmukh and the Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Chaggan Bhujbal maintained a studied silence after the ceremony.
Deshmukh refused to take any questions from reporters and walked straight into his car, whereas Bhujbal, who is the from the Nationalist Congress Party, politely told the journalists that they could direct their questions to the chief minister and not him.
It may be recalled that the NCP president Sharad Pawar had stated earlier that there was no need for Cabinet expansion, preferring a reshuffle in the ministry.
However, Kripashankar Singh, minister of state for home and a Congress leader said, "The DF government was always stable since we proved out majority in the assembly. And this Cabinet expansion has taken place because the Peasants and Workers Party members quit the government before the no-confidence motion."
Asked whether there was a need for a jumbo ministry, Singh said, "In Uttar Pradesh there is a jumbo ministry, the NDA has a jumbo ministry. So, I don't understand why the media is calling our ministry as jumbo ministry. The chief minister felt that there was a need to fill the posts, which was vacated by the PWP ministers. So, he appointed new ministers."
When pointed out why there were no Congress or NCP MLAs, Singh said, "The decision to induct all these ministers have been taken jointly after discussing with everyone."
Deshmukh had been to New Delhi last month soon after he won the no-confidence motion. He had taken permission from the Congress chief Sonia Gandhi for Cabinet expansion and had told the reporters then that the number of ministers would go up keeping in mind the compulsions of coalition politics.
Earlier Report: Deshmukh inducts four ministers
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