First-ever expansion of Raje Ministry, 5 inducted

Four years after assuming office, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje on Monday expanded her Council of Ministers inducting five new members, including a Gujjar.

Four years after assuming office, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje on Monday expanded her Council of Ministers inducting five new members, including a Gujjar.

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Governor S K Singh administered the oath of office and secrecy to the new inductees, four of them of Cabinet rank, at a simple function at the Raj Bhawan here.

The new Cabinet Ministers are Dr Nathu Singh Gurjar, Ramkishore Meena, Kalicharan Saraf and Nandlal Meena.

All of them were Ministers in the erstwhile BJP government led by Bhairon Singh Shekhawat.

Surendra Goyal, a new face, was made Minister of State with an independent charge.
With the induction of five, the strength of the BJP Ministry rose to 32, which included 18 Cabinet Ministers.

The inclusion of Nathu Singh Gurjar was apparently aimed at placating the Gujjar community, which had launched a stir in the state demanding a Scheduled Tribe tag.