Three Ministers of the Shivraj Singh Chouhan Cabinet did not turn up in the Cabinet meeting convened here on Wednesday. Besides, Minister Suryaprakash Meena, who has been denied ticket, attended the meeting.

Those who chose not to turn up at the last Cabinet meeting of this Government include Cabinet Ministers — Kusum Mahdele and Maya Singh and Minister of State Harsh Singh.

Both Maya Singh and Kusum Mahdele, were denied tickets over non-performance as MLAs. Though Singh did not go public with her dissent over denial of ticket, Mahdele had expressed resentment over the denial and had even prepared to contest as an independent but the party managed to stop her in the eleventh hour.

Surya Prakash Meena, the MoS was also not given ticket was present in the last cabinet meet of this government. Interestingly Meena reportedly apprehensive of a possible ticket denial had written a letter to the party days ahead of announcement of candidates, wishing not to contest poll.

Later, as the Public Relations Minister Narottam Mishra briefed the media about cabinet meeting at CM House, he was posed with a query on absence of ministers Maya Singh and Kusum Mahdele. I am not sure as I had no communication with the two leaders, replied the minister.

Flaying Congress for hurling criticism on the cabinet meet, Mishra claimed the meet was convened to address urgent issues including food-grain procurement, outbreak of Zika and other diseases, and availability of fertilizers.

 "The cabinet offered in principal approval to various decisions taken earlier including those on school education, reservation for women and the disabled, Commercial tax notifications, inclusion of temple priests and caretakers in Sambal yojana, pension of patwaris, on MoU regarding Indore-Manmad rail link, formation of Jan Swasthya Samvardhan Board, loan of Rs 1700 cr for Dept of Energy and others."

CM Shivraj has directed Agriculture minister Gaurisankar Bisen to visit New Delhi to discuss availability of fertilizers in MP with the Centre, Mishra added claiming mandi officers have been directed to address onion and garlic procurement issues.