Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh chief minister Mohan Yadav on Monday expanded his ministry by inducting 28 new ministers, 16 of whom are first-time ministers.
Of the 28 new ministers inducted into the state ministry, 18 got cabinet berths while the remaining ten have been made ministers of state.
Ten ministers in the previous Shivraj Singh Chouhan government including Gopal Bhargav, Bhupendra Singh, Bishahulal Singh, and Dr Prabhuram Choudhury did not find place in the Mohan Yadav-led ministry.
Prominent among the newly inducted ministers are former Union minister Prallhad Patel, BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya and former MP Rakesh Singh.
With the expansion, the strength of Mohan Yadav ministry has increased to 31, four less than the maximum strength of the council of ministers in Madhya Pradesh.
While 12 members in the state ministry including the chief minister belong to Other Backward Classes (OBCs), four are from scheduled castes and five are from scheduled tribes.
The remaining seven members in the council of ministers are from general categories.
The state ministry has five women members.
The eldest member in the state ministry is Kiran Singh Verma (68) while Pratima Bagri (35) is the youngest member.
As many as 21 ministers in the Mohan Yadav ministry are either graduates or postgraduates while seven others could complete barely up to Class 12.
“Regional and caste balance has been maintained in the ministry. The ministry comprised both experienced and fresh faces. I am confident that the Mohan Yadav-led ministry will deliver”, the four-time chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said.
Mr Vijayvargiya has however sought to downplay the omission of some veteran leaders in the state ministry saying that “One cannot expect that everyone will be taken in the ministry. New faces should also be given the opportunity”.
All the ministers are yet to be allocated portfolios.
Chief minister Mr Yadav along with two deputy chief ministers Rajendra Shukla and Jagdish Devda had earlier taken oath on December 13.
BJP has retained power in Madhya Pradesh in the November 17 Assembly elections by securing 163 out of 230 seats, leaving Congress to be content with 66 seats.
