Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal on Friday called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi fuelling speculation of a possible Cabinet expansion and reshuffle. The Cabinet currently has 12 Ministers, including four Ministers of State, leaving two vacancies — one each from the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Jannayak Janta Party.
Though Mr. Lal refused to comment on any discussion on the expansion during his 40-minute meeting with Mr. Modi, saying that keeping suspense on the matter was exciting, rumours on the issue had started doing the rounds in Haryana soon after Deepavali and gained momentum after the recent announcement on the repeal of the three farm laws.
State Bunit JP sources said the new Cabinet would most likely be in place by the year-end or as early as the month-end.
More inclusive
“A new-look Cabinet in New Year is a possibility,” said a BJP source, adding that the emphasis would be on greater representation to the Scheduled and the Backward Castes.
At least two Ministers from the BJP quota — Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment (Independent Charge) Om Prakash Yadav and Minister of State for Woman and Child Development (Independent Charge) Kamlesh Dhanda, the lone woman Minister — are said to be on a sticky wicket and could be replaced.
Mr. Yadav, who represents Narnaul Assembly constituency in South Haryana, could lose his ministerial berth to former IAS and Nangal Chaudhary MLA Abhe Singh Yadav.
Ms. Dhanda, a Jat, could be replaced by another Jat MLA Mahipal Dhanda from Panipat Rural to balance the caste equation and ensure adequate representation to the single largest community in the State.
Pataudi MLA Satya Prakash Jrawat, a Scheduled Caste, could be a surprise inclusion in a balancing act of increased representation to his community and South Haryana, where the BJP has won the majority of the seats.
While Tohana MLA Devender Singh Babli, who trounced former BJP chief Subhash Barala, could be the JJP’s choice for the seat of its quota, the party’s opinion on continuation of Uklanad MLA Anoop Dhanak, Minister of State for Archaeology & Museums (Independent Charge), is rumoured to be divided.
