MP: Ramniwas Rawat, who quit Congress during Lok Sabha polls, inducted in BJP-led Mohan Yadav Cabinet
bhopal: In a short Cabinet expansion, six-term MLA Ramniwas Rawat, who switched to BJP from Congress during the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections took oath as a Cabinet minister in the Mohan Yadav-led BJP government in Madhya Pradesh on Monday.
MP Governor Mangubhai Patel administered the oath of office and secrecy to Rawat as a Cabinet minister at a brief function in the Raj Bhawan here in the presence of Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and other dignitaries.
However, what should have been a routine procedure was marked by an unusual, even chaotic, sequence of events.
Mr Rawat was scheduled to be sworn in - at 9 am by the Governor looking on as a Cabinet minister. By 9.03 am he was administered the oath but that of a Minister of state, a junior post. 15 minutes later Rawat was administered a second oath as a Cabinet minister. Reflecting on his unusual oath Rawat said that he had missed the word ‘ka’ by mistake so he had taken the oath twice.
Talking to Millennium Post after taking oath, Rawat said that his induction in the Mohan Yadav Cabinet is the blessing of the people of Vijaypur, his Assembly constituency and he would try to live up to their expectations.
“I express thanks to the BJP leadership, PM Modi Ji and Amit Shah Ji, and especially to Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and the party’s state chief VD Sharma, who have put their trust in me. I will try to live up to their trust as a minister”, Rawat replied on asking about his induction to the Cabinet.
CM Yadav said to reporters that Rawat is a senior leader in state politics after he becomes a minister, the government will benefit from his experiences. “Rawat is a big face of OBC in the state and a prominent leader of the Gwalior-Chambal region, he comes from a backward Sheopur district, and now the region will be developed more” the CM said.
Rawat, a six-time MLA from Vijaypur constituency of Sheopur district, quit the Congress and joined the ruling BJP during the Lok Sabha poll campaign on April 30. He has been working as president of the Congress’ state unit and a Minister of state in the Digvijaya Singh-led Congress government.
Although Rawat joined the BJP, he has resigned yet from the state Assembly. Sources said that he may resign from the House membership soon. He is now the first person to serve as a minister in a BJP government while still being a Congress MLA.
CM Yadav, who assumed office on December 13, 2023, following the Assembly elections, inducted 30 legislators into his Cabinet on December 25.
With the induction of Rawat, the Cabinet strength has risen to 31. The maximum strength of the MP Cabinet is 34 including the CM.
