The Hindu : New Delhi News : Chautala may expand Cabinet tomorrow

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Tuesday, Jul 06, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Chautala may expand Cabinet tomorrow

By Rajesh Ahuja

CHANDIGARH, JULY 5 .The proposed expansion of the Haryana Cabinet, which was slated for today, is now likely to take place on Wednesday. Announcing this here today, the Chief Minister and Indian National Lok Dal supremo, Om Prakash Chautala, dropped a virtual bombshell when he hinted that some sitting Ministers could be dropped.

Mr.Chautala was talking to mediapersons shortly after the swearing-in of four Members of the Haryana Public Service Commission

(HPSC) at Raj Bhavan here.

Mr.Chautala had told mediapersons on June 28 that he would expand the Cabinet on July 5 in the context of the stipulations of the 91st Amendment to the Constitution.

While stating that he had time up to July 7 to expand the Cabinet, he set at rest speculation by asserting that the total number of Ministers would not exceed 14. A large number of INLD MLAs who virtually did not share the "spoils of power'' during the last four and a half years, are hopeful that they will find a berth in the Cabinet in the last. However, according to insiders, some of the sitting Ministers have started feeling "jittery'' that they could be among those who may be "axed.''

Interestingly, he attributed the resignation of Pardeep Chaudhary from the membership of the HPSC to his "interest in politics.'' This has sparked off speculation that Mr.Chaudhary could be given an important political role or he could even be groomed to contest the forthcoming Vidhan Sabha polls.

Meanwhile, the Haryana Governor, O.P.Verma, administered the oath of affirmation and secrecy to Dungar Ram, Chattar Singh, Yudhvir Singh and Satbir Singh as Members of the HPSC.

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