Madhya Pradesh cabinet expansion may postpone till Rajya Sabha polls

BHOPAL: Delayed by almost a month, the cabinet expansion of Shivraj Singh Chouhan's team in Madhya Pradesh may further postpone till Rajya Sabha elections in the state if chief minister Chouhan fails to finalise his New Delhi visit this week. The elections are scheduled to be held on June 19 and the BJP national leadership is eyeing on two seats of the total three with the support of regional parties.
Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who recently had clarified that expansion of his team will be taken up very soon, did not respond to queries on proposed expansion, on Friday.Sources in BJP disclosed that Chouhan is likely to hold a final discussion with the party leadership on Saturday to decide whether he will visit New Delhi to finalise the list of cabinet members or take up the exercise after Rajya Sabha polls.
"After corona spread, the party leadership is more focused on prevention. Apart from this, a pre-planned schedule for programmes has been released to commemorate the first anniversary of Modi 2.0. In addition, Rajya Sabha elections have been declared by the Election Commission. Now, it becomes very difficult to take up the rejig," disclosed a senior state functionary of BJP.
When asked about the plan for expansion of the team, chief minister Chouhan, who had reached home minister Narottam Mishra's residence on Friday morning, did not respond. "We hold talks on all issues everyday, there is nothing on these issues," said Chouhan, refusing to take further queries.
Top BJP leaders and state unit members, apart from chief minister Chouhan, also held discussions with the party national general secretary (organisation), BL Santosh, through video conference on Friday but, there was no mention of proposed rejig. Discussions were held on one-year of Modi 2.0 and plan to highlight achievements and message of self-reliant Bharat, sources said.
The party leaders also aim at Rajya Sabha elections where BJP and Congress are ready to lure the regional political parties and Independent MLAs. BJP had recently claimed that Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Samajwadi Party (SP) and independent candidates will support the saffron party in the Rajya Sabha polls. Sources disclosed that the BJP is unwilling to open its cards ahead of Rajya Sabha elections on the selection of ministers hence, delay in the rejig, they added.
Interestingly, the regional parties have denied any discussions on the issue. "None from Congress or the BJP have so far discussed Rajya Sabha elections with us. I am not even aware of what BJP has planned for us," said BSP MLA from Patharia (Damoh), Rambai Singh. When asked whom she would support during Rajya Sabha polls, she aptly replies, "I am always with the ruling party. I am concerned about my public (voters) and development of my region," she said.
Independent MLA from Burhanpur, Surendra Singh Shera who had announced unconditional support to Congress since it came to power in 2018 has also doubts. "There was no discussion with BJP on Rajya Sabha polls hence, I cannot say what will be the future. None of the two parties have so far approached me," Shera told TOI.
Apart from Rajya Sabha elections, the BJP has asked the state leadership to discuss with senior leaders and dissidents who have been asked to help the 22 former MLAs of Jyotiraditya Scindia camp. Sources said that chief minister Chouhan is willing to retain most of the old team members in the cabinet. However, the party organisation and its ideological partner Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is in favour to induct young blood in the team.
Sources said, chief minister Chouhan is making a last effort to convince the BJP national leadership and finalise the team to take up the rejig ahead of Rajya Sabha polls however, a final decision will be taken by the national leadership.