THREE NEW MINISTERS IN HP CABINET
POWER PLAY BJP president JP Nadda helps chief minister tighten hold on state party unit by appointing loyalists, while striking a caste, regional balance with much-awaited cabinet expansion
SHIMLA:: BJP president JP Nadda helped Himachal Pradesh chief minister Jai Ram Thakur consolidate his position in the state unit as three new ministers, including two of his loyalists, were inducted into the cabinet at a low-key ceremony at Raj Bhawan here on Thursday.
In view of the Covid-19 guidelines, governor Bandaru Dattatreya administered the oath of office to Rakesh Pathania, Rajinder Garg and Sukhram Chaudhary at the function attended by 50 people, including Thakur and his cabinet colleagues.
Pathania and Garg are Nadda’s confidants and political observers see their induction into the 31-month-old ministry as a move by the Bharatiya Janata Party chief to gain hold in the state’s politics.
CASTE AND REGIONAL EQUATIONS
Jai Ram Thakur struck a regional balance with his ministry’s expansion. Rajput leader Pathania was given preference to appease the electorate in the politically sensitive Kangra district. Kangra has always had a lion’s share in the ministry. Two cabinet berths had fallen vacant after Bipin Singh Parmar was appointed speaker and Kishan Kapoor was elected to the Lok Sabha.
Chaudhary was accommodated to give ensure representation to other backward classes.
Garg belongs to Hamirpur, a stronghold of former chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal. Dhumal’s son and Union minister of state for finance Anurag Thakur is a four-time Lok Sabha member from Bilaspur.
Garg’s elevation as minister will help both Nadda and Jai Ram Thakur check Dhumal’s clout in Hamirpur parliamentary constituency.
Of the 68 assembly segments in Himachal Pradesh, 17 are reserved. Scheduled castes comprise 26.5% of the population, the second most dominant community after the Rajputs at 37.5%.
KNOW THE NEW MINISTERS
Nurpur MLA Rakesh Pathania, 55, Close to JP Nadda, he was elected as a BJP nominee in 1998 and re-elected as an independent in 2007 before becoming MLA for the third time in 2017. A Rajput, he was vying for a cabinet berth since 2017. Rajputs are a dominant caste in Kangra, which comprises 15 assembly segments.
Paonta Sahib MLA Sukhram Chaudhary, 58, is an OBC leader from Sirmaur. He was elected to the Vidhan Sabha in 2003, 2007 and 2017 and parliamentary secretary from 2009-12. Jai Ram Thakur’s backing to him to sideline former party chief Rajeev Bindal helped him get a berth.
Ghumarwin MLA Rajinder Garg, 54, is an old RSS worker and ABVP leader but first-time legislator. His loyalty to party chief JP Nadda found him a place in the cabinet.