Rajasthan Cabinet reshuffle soon: Congress to implement 'one person, one post' formula

Sachin Pilot and Ashok Gehlot

The Congress party has finalised the much-awaited Cabinet reshuffle of the Ashok Gehlot-led government in Rajasthan.

As per the changes to be announced in a few days, three ministers in the Gehlot Cabinet will be removed to make way for new faces. This is being done to implement the ‘one-person, one-post’ principle, according to which a leader can either be a minister or hold a position in the party, but not both.

Also read: Rajasthan govt will reduce VAT on fuel: Ashok Gehlot

The formula once implemented, reports said, will see the exit of ministers Raghu Sharma, Harish Choudhary and Govind Singh Dotasra from the Ashok Gehlot government.

Dotasra, the minister for school education and tourism, is also president of the Rajasthan Congress unit. State health minister Raghu Sharma is the All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge of Gujarat while revenue minister Harish Chaudhary is in charge of the Punjab Congress.

The Gehlot cabinet will have 12 new faces, after the expansion, said sources.  There are 21 ministers in the Gehlot cabinet currently. Nine posts in the cabinet have been lying vacant.

The decision comes after Gehlot met Congress president Sonia Gandhi in Delhi on November 11. He also called on AICC general secretary in charge of organisation, KC Venugopal, AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and AICC in-charge of Rajasthan Ajay Maken November 10.

The cabinet expansion is likely to end Gehlot’s long-festering feud with former deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot who met Venugopal on November 10. Sources said Congress leaders, including, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had urged Gehlot to accommodate leaders from Pilot camp in his ministry.

As many as four to five of the new ministers could be those MLAs who are loyal to Sachin Pilot, a report in Indian Express quoted a Congress leader saying.

Also, read: Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot urges Home Minister Amit Shah to further bring down excise duty on petrol, diesel

In the recent by polls, the Congress party snatched a seat from the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) and retained another thus crossing the majority mark in the 200-member Rajasthan Assembly. The party now has 102 MLAs. Then there are six BSP MLAs who joined the party and the 12 Independents who also support it.

“The high command will decide as to when a reshuffle has to take place. We have left it up to the high command. Whatever was inquired from me about Rajasthan, I have briefed,” Gehlot said after meeting Sonia Gandhi in Delhi.