MP CM plays down delay in allocation of portfolios to new ministers

Shivraj Singh Chouhan carried out a major Cabinet expansion on July 2 when he inducted 28 ministers.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday played down the delay in allocating portfolios to 28 ministers who were sworn in on July 2 and insisted that the government was functioning smoothly

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is yet to allocate portfolios to 28 new ministers who were sworn in on July 2. (ANI)

“I am the minister of every department and the government is functioning smoothly. The Cabinet is scheduled to meet tomorrow. Everything will be done,” Chouhan said on being asked about the delay in distribution of portfolios to newly-inducted ministers, according to ANI.

The CM had carried out a major Cabinet expansion on July 2 when 28 ministers were sworn in. The expansion took place more than three months after Chouhan unseated the Congress government of Kamal Nath in March.

The 28 ministers included 12 former Congress MLAs but all of them are still without portfolio. Most of the former Congress MLAs are loyalists of Scindia who joined the BJP on March 12.

Of the 28 new ministers, 20 are of Cabinet rank and eight are ministers of state.

The 12 former Congress MLAS who have been made ministers will have to be elected to the state assembly in the next six months to retain their position as ministers as per the constitutional provision.

Chouhan, who had worked alone from March 23, inducted five ministers on April 21.