Last Update: January 08, 2023, 20:46 IST
Himachal Governor Rajendra Arlekar and CM Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu during the swearing-in ceremony of new ministers, in Shimla on Sunday. (PTI)
Himachal CM Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu has also put an end to the estrangement by inducting Vikramaditya Singh, son of former Himachal CM Virbhadra, into the cabinet.
Caste and regional factors have played an important role in finalizing the formation of the newly elected Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu cabinet in Himachal Pradesh, keeping ‘factionalism’ in check.
Seven legislators took oath as ministers in the Sukhu government on Sunday, ending a month-long suspense. Keeping in mind the caste balance, Sukhu has chosen four Rajputs, while inducting one each from the Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Castes (OBC) and Scheduled Castes (SC).
The Rajputs are one of the largest caste groups in the state, with community leaders ruling the state continuously since its formation. Of the seven ministers inducted, three are from Shimla district. Sukhu has also kept the differences under control by including Vikramaditya Singh, son of former Himachal CM Virbhadra, in the cabinet.
In the past, the party has been plagued by intermittent infighting between leaders close to Sukhu and its Himachal Pradesh unit chief Pratibha Singh, widow of Virbhadra Singh.
balancing act
By giving a place to Dhani Ram Shandil in the cabinet, the CM has also tried to rein those leaders of Solan region who were demanding better representation in the cabinet.
However, what could pose a challenge to the Sukhu government is murmurs of discontent emanating from the Kangra region, where leaders feel that adequate representation has not been given. Ten of the winning MLAs, representing 25% of the total strength of the Congress Legislature Party in the Himachal Legislative Assembly, come from the Kangra region, but only one, Chander Kumar, has been elected from the region.
Group photo with the members of the Legislative Assembly including the Honorable Governor in the Assembly premises Tapovan located in Dharamshala. pic.twitter.com/4npZhckqMq– Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu (@SukhuSukhvinder) January 7, 2023
The selection of two other district leaders, including Palampur MLA Ashish Butail and Baijnath MLA Kishori Lal, as Chief Parliamentary Secretaries is being seen as an attempt to woo leaders of the area.
But sources in the Kangra unit said the leaders were unhappy that two AICC secretaries from Kangra, including former minister and AICC secretary Sudhir Sharma and AICC secretary RS Bali, were ignored in the cabinet expansion.
Read this also | Himachal House heats up on first day of winter session, BJP walks out on Sukhu government’s ‘undo’ push
In the previous Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, there were four leaders from the region in the cabinet, including Forest Minister Rakesh Pathania, Industries Minister Bikram Thakur, Social Justice Minister Sarveen Chowdhary and Vipin Singh Parmar, who was previously Health Minister. Minister and later elected as the Speaker of the Himachal Legislative Assembly.
The opposition BJP has already alleged favoritism against the Kangra region in the cabinet formation.
read all latest politics news Here
