Rajasthan: Rajyavardhan Rathore among 22 sworn in as ministers

JAIPUR: Former Union minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore and senior BJP leader Kirodi Lal Meena were among 12 MLAs sworn in as Cabinet ministers in the Bhajan Lal Sharma-led BJP government in Rajasthan on Saturday.

In addition, 10 ministers of state were also inducted into the government during a ceremony at the Raj Bhawan here. Governor Kalraj Mishra administered the oath of office to the new ministers.

The MLAs inducted into the Rajasthan Cabinet are Meena, Madan Dilawar, Rathore, Gajendra Singh Khimsar, Babulal Kharadi, Jogaram Patel, Suresh Singh Rawat, Avinash Gehlot, Joraram Kumawat, Hemant Meena, Kanhaiya Lal Choudhary and Sumit Godara.

Sanjay Sharma, Gautam Kumar Dak, Jhabar Singh Kharra, Surendra Pal Singh and Heeralal Nagar took oath as ministers of state (independent charge). Otaram Dewasi, Manju Baghmar, Vijay Singh Choudhary, K K Vishnoi and Jawahar Singh Bedham were made ministers of state.

Kirodi Lal Meena, a six-time MLA, is representing the Sawai Madhopur assembly seat. He is also a two-time Lok Sabha MP and one-time Rajya Sabha MP. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, who won from the Jhotwara assembly seat, is a former Union minister and two-time Lok Sabha MP from the Jaipur Rural seat. He is a first-time MLA. Rathore is an Olympic medallist and former Army officer.