Row over Shivraj Cabinet meeting

■ Cong protests move seen as signal of BJP’s return to power

A row has erupted over the decision by Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to convene a meeting of his Cabinet on December 5 pending announcement of results of the Assembly polls held in the state on November 28.

Even as the move is viewed here as a signal sought to be sent by the chief minister that the ruling BJP is returning to power in the state for the fourth time in a row, the Opposition Congress on Sunday declared to approach the EC seeking cancellation of the scheduled Cabinet meeting, questioning its legality.

Madhya Pradesh chief secretary B. P. Singh, in a communication to all the ministers in the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government, informed that the state Cabinet would meet at 10.30 in the morning of December 5.

As many as 14 major policy decisions, including regularisation of ad- hoc lecturers in all government colleges and provision of bonus of ` 200 per quintal of wheat procured from the farmers by the societies, have been included in the agenda fixed for the December 5 meeting of state cabinet, sources disclosed.

The Opposition Congress, however, opposed the move by the state government to convene a Cabinet meeting pending announcement of the November 28 Assembly elections in the state.

“The Shivraj Singh Chouhan government is a caretaker government now and hence, cannot take major policy decisions. We will move the Election Commission ( EC) seeking cancellation of the scheduled cabinet meeting,” a Congress spokesman here said.

The Congress leader said that the Cabinet cannot hold a meeting without the nod from the EC.

State finance minister Jayant Mallya, however, said there was no need of EC’s approval.