Ranchi, Nov 25 The new government in Jharkhand under Chief Minister Hemant Soren, set for his fourth term as he is sworn in on November 28, will include at least five new faces in the cabinet, sources said.
On Monday, Soren held discussions with his close aides at the CM's residence to finalise the new cabinet. Earlier, consultations were also held with alliance leaders to decide ministerial allocations.
The Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) -- key allies in the coalition -- are expected to have their ministerial nominations finalised by their respective high commands.
Meanwhile, the CPI-ML, another alliance partner, has yet to confirm whether it will be a part of the cabinet or not. If it does, it will mark the first time a Left party holds a ministerial position in Jharkhand.
The Jharkhand cabinet can have a maximum of 12 ministers, including the Chief Minister. The alliance numbers include 34 MLAs from the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), 14 from the Congress, 4 from the RJD, and 2 from the CPI-ML.
As per sources, the cabinet may consist of Six MLAs from JMM, three or four from Congress, one or two from the RJD and one from the CPI-ML, if it chooses to join.
From the JMM, the names under consideration include first-time ministerial prospects such as Louis Marandi (Jama), Stephen Marandi (Maheshpur), Mathura Mahato (Tundi), and Anant Pratap Deo (Bhawanathpur).
Chaibasa MLA Deepak Birua and Ghatsila MLA Ramdas Soren are expected to retain their ministerial positions.
From the Congress, probable candidates include Rameshwar Oraon (Lohardaga), Pradeep Yadav (Poraiyahat), Deepika Pandey Singh (Mahagama), and Anoop Singh (Bermo)
RJD’s Suresh Paswan, the MLA from Deoghar, is considered a strong contender for a ministerial role.
If consensus on the cabinet lineup is not reached by November 28, only two or three ministers may take the oath alongside Chief Minister Soren. The first cabinet meeting, shortly after the swearing-in, is expected to focus on key decisions for the state’s governance and development.
The swearing-in ceremony is expected to see a gathering of prominent INDIA bloc leaders including Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav, Leader of Opposition in Bihar Tejashwi Yadav, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal, etc.
Preparations for the grand event are underway, with officials ensuring proper arrangements for the ceremony.
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