‘GEHLOT CABINET REJIG SOON’

JAIPUR: A senior minister in the Ashok Gehlot government in Rajasthan, Raghu Sharma, has hinted of a cabinet rejig soon. Recently appointed the in-charge of Gujarat Congress, Sharma said, “it is not crucial for me to remain a minister. My priority is organisation, I will work in that regard.”

About dual responsibility, Sharma said, “I am working as a minister and will quit the post when I will be asked to do so. I belong to the organisation and have spent my life to strengthen it.”

Sharma was talking to the media before leaving for Gujarat for a 3-day visit after taking charge of the Gujarat Congress unit.

Sharma is the health minister in the Rajasthan government and is known to be close to CM Gehlot.

His appointment as the Gujarat in-charge has been taken as the initiation of a long-awaited cabinet reshuffle in the state as after the one-to-one feedback exercise with party MLAs in July this year the party’s in-charge of Rajasthan Ajay Maken had said, “Some ministers are ready to work for the organisation to strengthen the party, though he had denied giving the number of such ministers but said there are many who are willing to work for the organisation.” Sources said statements of Raghu Sharma and Ajay Maken hint the Raghu Sharma’s appointment for an organisational task is a step towards dropping ministers to make way for others. Notably, Gehlot was appointed in charge of Gujarat in the last election and the party had come close to victory. As he is the CM now, the party has chosen one of his close associates.