Nearly four weeks after formation of his government, Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Tuesday carried out his first Cabinet expansion inducting seven lawmakers in his ministry five from JMM and two from Congress camp. With today’s Cabinet expansion, which is the first after Soren took oath on December 29 the strength of Cabinet has gone to 11. One ministerial berth is still vacant and is likely to be filled by Congress.
The seven lawmakers who were administered oath of office and secrecy by Governor Droupadi Murmu in presence of Chief Minister Hemant Soren, JMM chief Shibu Soren and State Congress in-charge RPN Singh included Champai Soren (Saraikela Kharsawan), Haji Hussain Ansari (Madhupur), Joba Manjhi (Mahoharpur), Jagarnath Mahto (Dumri) and Garhwa MLA Mithilesh Thakur. The lawmakers, who were made ministers from Congress camp, included Banna Gupta from Jamshedpur West and Badal from Jarmundi.
Badal, Mahto and Thakur are first-time ministers and Joba Manjhi had been a minister in the previous NDA governments before she joined the JMM. The other four were ministers in the previous UPA governments.
Chief Minister Hemant Soren after expansion of his Cabinet tweeted, “This is not a ministry but it will work as Team Jharkhand. The Team will work for development and progress of State.” The CM in his tweet urged all ministers to make Jharkhand a progressive State.
Sources said that though Hemant Soren has tried to maintain demography and caste equation in his ministry, Kolhan and Santhal region have received lion’s share in Cabinet. From Kolhan, Champai Soren who is popularly known as Kolhan Tiger and MLA from (Saraikela Kharsawan, Joba Manjhi MLA from Manoharpur and whose political career revolves around Jul Jungle Zameen have been inducted in Cabinet.
The other lawmaker from Kolhan region who was made minister in Cabinet expansion is Banna Gupta who comes from Jamshedpur West. Banna, a former Agriculture Minister during Hemant Soren’s first tenure as Chief Minister is likely to get important portfolio.
Apart from Kolhan region, Santhal Pargana too has got adequate representation in Soren’s ministry. The two MLAs from Santhal who were made ministers today are from Badal the Congress MLA from Jarmundi and Hazi Hussain Ansari from Madhupur. Earlier, Alamgir Alam MLA from Pakur who took oath along with Chief Minister on December 29 too comes from Santhal. Moreover, Chief Minister Hemant Soren himself is MLA from Dumka and Barhait of Santhal Pargana.
Other administrative regions such as South Chotanagpur, North Chotanagpur, Palamu and Koylanchal have got single representation in Soren’s ministry. Apart from demographical balance, caste equation too has been made in Cabinet expansion.
The Soren Cabinet consists of four tribals including Hemant himself, two minorities, two OBCs, two upper caste and one scheduled caste.
As per the constitutional provisions, Jharkhand can have a maximum of 12 ministers including the chief minister. The previous Raghubar Das government had run the dispensation with only 11 ministers all through its five-year term.
Earlier, the Cabinet expansion was to take place on January 24, but the function was postponed at last hour due to killing of seven tribals at Burugulikera village in Chibasa by alleged pro Pathalgadi supporters. Also the function was deferred due to communal violence in Lohardaga.
