This Article is From Dec 28, 2021

Devender Singh Babli, Kamal Gupta Sworn In As Ministers In Haryana

In the second expansion carried out in two years, BJP's Hisar MLA Kamal Gupta and JJP MLA Devender Singh Babli, who represents Tohana in the Assembly, were inducted into the Khattar cabinet.

Devender Singh Babli, Kamal Gupta Sworn In As Ministers In Haryana

Kamal Gupta took oath in Sanskrit while Devender Singh Babli took oath in Hindi.

Chandigarh:

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar expanded his cabinet on Tuesday, inducting an MLA each from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP).

In the second expansion carried out in two years, BJP's Hisar MLA Kamal Gupta and JJP MLA Devender Singh Babli, who represents Tohana in the Assembly, were inducted into the Khattar cabinet.

They were administered the oath by Governor Bandaru Dattatreya at a ceremony held at the Haryana Raj Bhavan here.

Mr Gupta took oath in Sanskrit while Mr Babli took oath in Hindi.

Mr Khattar and Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala were present on the occasion, among others.

With the induction of the two MLAs, the strength of the Haryana council of ministers has gone up to 14, including the chief minister, which is the upper limit.

Earlier, 10 MLAs were inducted into the cabinet in November 2019, days after the chief minister and his deputy were sworn in on October 27, 2019.

After Tuesday's cabinet expansion, the BJP has 10 ministers, including the chief minister, and the JJP has three ministers, including the deputy chief minister, while Ranjit Singh Chautala is the lone Independent MLA inducted as a minister.

The BJP fell short of a simple majority in the October, 2019 Haryana Assembly polls, winning 40 of the 90 seats, and subsequently, it forged an alliance with the JJP, which has 10 MLAs.

The BJP formed the government in the state with the support of the JJP lawmakers and Independent MLAs.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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