Fatehpur legislator appointed Planning Board Dy Chairman

Shimla, March 2

The state government today appointed Fatehpur MLA Bhawani Pathania Deputy Chairman of the State Planning Board with a Cabinet rank. Yesterday, Rampur MLA Nand Lal, a die-hard Virbhadra Singh loyalist, was appointed Chairman of the Seventh State Finance Commission.

The political appointments have been made to placate Congress president Pratibha Singh and keep party MLAs in good humour and foil attempts by the BJP to poach them. The political appointments made almost 14 months after the formation of the government are a clear signal that the Congress is wary of its disgruntled MLAs drifting towards the BJP. The move is clearly aimed at keeping the flock together at a time when the BJP is trying to poach Congress MLAs.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri called on Pratibha at Holly Lodge. He had been a Virbhadra Singh’s loyalist and a minister his government. The visit is being viewed as an attempt to convince Pratibha to support the government, which is passing through a major crisis.

Amidst attempts to show that all is well in the government, the news of Education Minister Rohit Thakur abruptly leaving the Cabinet meeting midway is making headlines. A video doing the rounds shows a perturbed Rohit leaving the Cabinet meeting and Agnihotri rushing to bring him back with an arm around him.

Though Rohit later said that he had to leave early to drop his son at his school but came back to finish the Cabinet agenda. Public Works Department Minister Vikramaditya Singh and Industries Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan did not attend the meeting as both were out of station for personal work.

While Vikramaditya is camping in New Delhi, the unease in the state capital continues. The security of two staunch Virbhadra loyalists, Rampur MLA Nand Lal and Chief Parliamentary Secretary and Rohru MLA Mohan Lal Brakta, was enhanced. The duo was present at Vikramaditya’s press conference where the latter openly aired his grouse against the Chief Minister.

After meeting the six disqualified Congress rebels, Vikramaditya will be meeting senior Congress leaders. “Party observer DK Shivkumar asked me to talk to the six disqualified MLAs to find out if they were keen to return to the Congress fold. I met them and their only condition was change in the leadership. I will convey their sentiments to the party high command,” he told The Tribune.

Pratibha has already expressed her anguish over the disqualification of the six Congress MLAs stating that she and other party workers had worked hard to ensure their victory.