File photo of Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje
14 new ministers are today being inducted into the cabinet of Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje. The expansion was long overdue, as the chief minister herself was holding 47 portfolios and had just 12 ministers in her cabinet.
Among the new ministers being sworn-in, three are women. They are being administered oath by Governor Kalyan Singh.
The cabinet expansion, which was due to take place after the Lok Sabha polls, reportedly got delayed as the central leadership was busy with elections in Maharashtra and Harayana and Ms Raje was not being given the green signal by the BJP high command.
The need for the cabinet expansion was also underlined by the fact that Sanwar Lal Jat, former MLA and minister, had won the Lok Sabha election and could only continue in the cabinet for six months. With his departure at the end of October, the Raje cabinet would have been down to just 11 ministers, which is below the minimum ministers required, and would have led to a constitutional crisis for her government.
As per the BJP's strength in the state assembly with 160 seats out of 200, Ms Raje can have up to 30 ministers.