Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai to expand his cabinet on Wednesday

Chhattisgarh governor Ramen Deka will administer the oath of office to the newly inducted ministers at 10:30am

Published on: Aug 19, 2025, 20:32:19 IST

By Ritesh Mishra

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai will expand his council of ministers on Wednesday morning, according to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders in the state, who made the announcement on Tuesday.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai (PTI)

Governor Ramen Deka will administer the oath of office to the newly inducted ministers at 10:30am. The Chhattisgarh BJP, however, did not confirm the number of ministers to be inducted at the event.. Some BJP leaders said three legislators were likely to be administered oath which would raise the strength of the state cabinet to 14.

The Vishnu Deo Sai-led council of ministers currently has 11 members. The Constitution caps the size of the council of ministers at 15 per cent of the strength of the lower house. In the case of Chhattisgarh’s 90-member House, this limit was previously understood to cap the strength at 13 ministers, including the CM since 15%of 90 MLAs works out to 13.5.

But BJP leaders said the government was tilting in favour of the Haryana model, which has defended its decision to appoint 14 ministers on the ground that the government had rounded off the figure to 14.

The Haryana decision has been challenged in the high court, but there has been no ruling yet.

The BJP secured 54 seats in the 2023 assembly polls, while the Congress won 35 and the Gondwana Gantantra Party one.

Sai, along with deputy chief ministers Arun Sao and Vijay Sharma, took oath on December 13, 2023. Nine other ministers were sworn in later that month.

The cabinet strength declined to 11 last year after Brijmohan Agrawal resigned as minister following his election to the Lok Sabha from Raipur.

Among the frontrunners for Wednesday’s cabinet expansion are Durg MLA Gajendra Yadav, who belongs to the numerically significant OBC Yadav community and has an RSS background; Arang MLA Guru Khushwant Saheb, son of Satnami sect leader Baldas Saheb, representing a key Scheduled Caste vote base; and Ambikapur MLA Rajesh Agrawal, who defeated senior Congress leader and then deputy chief minister T S Singh Deo in the last assembly election.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ritesh Mishra
Ritesh Mishra is the State Correspondent for Chhattisgarh with Hindustan Times. He reports on Maoism, internal security, politics, mining, governance, and major developments shaping the state. Based in Raipur, he has covered Chhattisgarh since 2016, reporting extensively from the Bastar region and other conflict-affected areas. With nearly two decades of experience in journalism, Ritesh has built a reputation for ground reporting from some of India's most challenging terrains. His coverage spans Left-Wing Extremism, counter-insurgency operations, elections, tribal affairs, environmental issues, infrastructure, mining, and socio-economic developments. He has reported on major security operations, policy initiatives, wildlife crime, and the changing dynamics of conflict and development in Central India. Before moving to Chhattisgarh, Ritesh spent eight years reporting from Madhya Pradesh, covering politics, administration, crime, development, and social issues. Throughout his career, he has reported on various forms of extremism in Central India, combining field reporting with in-depth analysis to produce accurate, balanced, and impactful journalism. Prior to joining Hindustan Times, Ritesh worked with The Pioneer and The Free Press Journal, where he covered a wide range of beats and honed his skills in political, investigative, and field reporting. His reporting is marked by exclusive stories, extensive fieldwork, and a commitment to factual, on-the-ground journalism that brings complex issues to a wider audience.Read More

Council Of Ministers

Follow India news real-time updates and the latest news covered on Hindustan Times, featuring today's critical updates on Sonam Wangchuk LIVE and more across India.