Home minister Anil Vij becomes key gainer in portfolio allocation

Dushyant sheds archaeology and museums portfolio for JJP minister Dhanak

CHANDIGARH: Senior Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Anil Vij on Thursday emerged as a big gainer by bagging the coveted home portfolio, which was held by chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar in the previous term. Vij was also allocated the portfolios of urban local bodies, health, medical education, Ayush, technical education and science and technology. A six-time MLA, Vij had felt slighted in 2014 when despite his seniority, he was not given any plum portfolios as cabinet minister and was ranked at number five in the order of precedence.

Since the home portfolio in Haryana is generally held by the chief minister, its allocation to Vij has put him in a select band of a few former ministers who independently held the department.

Chief minister ML Khattar on whose advise the governor had allocated 11 portfolios, including seven top-of-the-line departments to deputy chief minister Dushyant Chautala on Wednesday, is now in-charge of finance, town and country planning, irrigation, public health engineering, general administration, personnel and training, administration of justice, environment, housing, information and public relations, electronics and information technology, elections, architecture and Raj Bhavan affairs.

The biggest loser in terms of portfolio allocation was Anoop Dhanak of Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), who was allocated the portfolios of archaeology and museums as minister of state (independent charge) and labour and employment as minister of state (attached with the deputy chief minister). Dhanak is the only minister from JJP camp in the council of ministers, besides deputy chief minister Dushyant Chautala.

Deputy chief minister Dushyant Chautala has shed only a rather insignificant archaeology and museums portfolio for reallocation to Anoop Dhanak. Dushyant has retained excise and taxation, industries and commerce, revenue and disaster management, public works (building & roads), development and panchayats, food, civil supplies and consumer affairs, labour and employment, civil aviation, rehabilitation and consolidation departments.

Besides the chief minister ML Khattar, deputy chief minister Dusyant Chautala and cabinet minister Anil Vij have emerged as the most powerful ministers after the portfolio allocation.

Independent MLA from Rania, Ranjit Singh who was sworn in as a cabinet rank minister, was allocated the power, new and renewable energy and jails portfolios. Former assembly speaker, Kanwar Pal who got a cabinet berth this time was assigned education, parliamentary affairs, forests, tourism and hospitality portfolios while first time minister Mool Chand Sharma was given transport, mines and geology, skill development and industrial training; and art and cultural affairs.

First-time MLA JP Dalal was allocated agriculture, animal husbandry and dairying, fisheries, law and legislative departments while second-time minister Banwari Lal was allocated the portfolios of cooperation and welfare of SCs and BCs.

Among the ministers of state (independent charge), former India hockey captain Sandeep Singh was allocated the sports and youth affairs portfolio besides printing and stationery while OP Yadav was allocated social justice and empowerment and Sainik and Ardh Sainik welfare departments. First time MLA Kamlesh Dhanda was given the charge of women and child development and archives.

SINCE THE HOME

PORTFOLIO IN HARYANA IS GENERALLY HELD BY THE CM, ITS ALLOCATION TO VIJ HAS PUT HIM IN A SELECT BAND OF A FEW FORMER MINISTERS WHO INDEPENDENTLY HELD THE DEPARTMENT