Himachal CM leaves for Dubai, Rajesh Dharmani, Yadvinder Goma yet to be given portfolios

Pratibha Chauhan

Shimla, December 13

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu left for Dubai today, delaying the allocation of portfolios to the two newly inducted ministers, namely Ghumarwin MLA Rajesh Dharmani and Jaisinghpur MLA Yadvinder Goma. It is expected that the portfolios would now be allocated after the Chief Minister returns from Dubai on December 16. The government is yet to issue a notification regarding the allocation of portfolios to the two new ministers.

Sukhu had hinted that there could be a minor change in portfolios of other ministers. The Chief Minister himself is holding several important portfolios such as Power, Forest, Tourism and Excise and Taxation, Finance and Home. Meanwhile, Dharmani and Goma left for New Delhi today to meet the central leadership.

New ministers in Delhi to meet high command

• The portfolios are now likely to be allocated after the Chief Minister returns from Dubai on December 16
• Newly inducted ministers Rajesh Dharmani and Yadvinder Goma left for New Delhi on Wednesday to meet the central leadership
• Sujanpur MLA Rajinder Rana, Dharamsala MLA Sudhir Sharma and Jawalamukhi MLA Sanjay Rattan are said to be the frontrunners for the lone vacant ministerial berth
• Sukhu has hinted that Dharampur MLA Chander Shekhar will be given some responsibility shortly
• The names of Renukaji MLA Vinay Kumar and Fatehpur MLA Bhawani Pathania are also doing the rounds for political appointments

However, lobbying has started for the one vacant ministerial post and that of Deputy Speaker. Sujanpur MLA Rajinder Rana, Dharamsala MLA Sudhir Sharma and Jawalamukhi MLA Sanjay Rattan are said to be the frontrunners for the lone ministerial berth. Rana has been desperately lobbying with the party high command for a ministerial berth but with little success.

The fact that Rana hails from Hamirpur, the home district of the Chief Minister that has only five Assembly segments, makes his case weak. Moreover, both Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri are from the Hamirpur Lok Sabha segment and now Dharmani from the same constituency has been inducted as a minister. As such, the lone Cabinet berth can go to Kangra, which has only two ministers though the Congress had won 10 of the 15 seats in the district in the last Assembly elections.

Political observers say that Sudhir Sharma and Sanjay Rattan are still in the race though the next Cabinet expansion is unlikely in the near future.

Some other senior MLAs are eyeing the posts of Deputy Speaker, Chief Whip and the Deputy Chief Whip in the Vidhan Sabha. Sukhu has hinted that Dharampur MLA Chander Shekhar will be given some responsibility shortly. The BJP had created the posts of Chief Whip and Deputy Chief Whip in the Vidhan Sabha to accommodate two of its senior leaders Narinder Bragta and Ramesh Dhawala.

Besides, the names of Renukaji MLA Vinay Kumar and Fatehpur MLA Bhawani Pathania are also doing the rounds for political appointments. The Congress government has completed one year in office and the party activists are eagerly awaiting the appointment of the Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen of various boards and corporations.