<p>Nine ministers, including three first-time MLAs in the Vishnu Deo Sai cabinet in Chhattisgarh, were administered oaths of office by Governor Vishwabhushan Harichandan in Raipur on Friday.</p><p>With the first expansion, the total strength of ministers in the Vishnu Deo Sai-led government in Chhattisgarh is now 12. The three, including Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai and his two deputies, Arun Sao and Vijay Sharma, were administered oath on December 13 in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Raipur. One ministerial berth is still vacant.</p> .Amid protests, tree felling for mine extension in biodiversity-rich Hasdeo Arand in Chhattisgarh begins.<p>CM Vishnu Deo Sai's predecessor and Congress MLA Bhupesh Baghel and Assembly Speaker Dr Raman Singh were present in the swearing-in ceremony.</p><p>In the Sai cabinet, a total of five ministers are first-timers: OP Choudhary, Tank Ram Verma, Laxmi Rajwade (Deputy CM Arun Sao and Vijay Sharma) and two second-term MLAs, Lakhanlal Dewangan and Shyam Bihari Jaiswal. While Brijmohan Agrawal is the senior most 8-term MLA, Ramvichar Netam, Kedar Kashyap and Dayaldas Baghel were experienced ministers.</p><p>While congratulating the ministerial colleague, the CM said that the vacant seat and portfolio allocation of ministries will be carried out soon.</p>.<p>Amongst the first time MLA, O P Choudhary is a former bureaucrat (IAS) and contested election on BJP ticket in 2018 after resigning from service but lost. He is reportedly one of Amit Shah’s favourites, who during the election campaign had promised to promote him after victory. Laxmi Rajwade is an OBC face of the party and hails from Sarguja region where BJP won all 14 seats. In 2018, the situation was completely opposite and former deputy CM and erstwhile princely ruler T S Singh Deo belongs to this region. In the Sai cabinet 6 belong to OBC (other backward class), 3 ST (scheduled tribes). One scheduled caste and 2 general category MLAs. Laxmi Rajwade is the only woman member in the Sai cabinet. The portfolios are yet to be allotted.</p><p>With this exercise the Sai-led government seems to have taken lead over Madhya Pradesh which is struggling with the puzzle of balancing act.</p>
<p>Nine ministers, including three first-time MLAs in the Vishnu Deo Sai cabinet in Chhattisgarh, were administered oaths of office by Governor Vishwabhushan Harichandan in Raipur on Friday.</p><p>With the first expansion, the total strength of ministers in the Vishnu Deo Sai-led government in Chhattisgarh is now 12. The three, including Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai and his two deputies, Arun Sao and Vijay Sharma, were administered oath on December 13 in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Raipur. One ministerial berth is still vacant.</p> .Amid protests, tree felling for mine extension in biodiversity-rich Hasdeo Arand in Chhattisgarh begins.<p>CM Vishnu Deo Sai's predecessor and Congress MLA Bhupesh Baghel and Assembly Speaker Dr Raman Singh were present in the swearing-in ceremony.</p><p>In the Sai cabinet, a total of five ministers are first-timers: OP Choudhary, Tank Ram Verma, Laxmi Rajwade (Deputy CM Arun Sao and Vijay Sharma) and two second-term MLAs, Lakhanlal Dewangan and Shyam Bihari Jaiswal. While Brijmohan Agrawal is the senior most 8-term MLA, Ramvichar Netam, Kedar Kashyap and Dayaldas Baghel were experienced ministers.</p><p>While congratulating the ministerial colleague, the CM said that the vacant seat and portfolio allocation of ministries will be carried out soon.</p>.<p>Amongst the first time MLA, O P Choudhary is a former bureaucrat (IAS) and contested election on BJP ticket in 2018 after resigning from service but lost. He is reportedly one of Amit Shah’s favourites, who during the election campaign had promised to promote him after victory. Laxmi Rajwade is an OBC face of the party and hails from Sarguja region where BJP won all 14 seats. In 2018, the situation was completely opposite and former deputy CM and erstwhile princely ruler T S Singh Deo belongs to this region. In the Sai cabinet 6 belong to OBC (other backward class), 3 ST (scheduled tribes). One scheduled caste and 2 general category MLAs. Laxmi Rajwade is the only woman member in the Sai cabinet. The portfolios are yet to be allotted.</p><p>With this exercise the Sai-led government seems to have taken lead over Madhya Pradesh which is struggling with the puzzle of balancing act.</p>