Uttarakhand: CM Distributes Key Posts, Triggering Speculation of a Cabinet Expansion

New Delhi: Uttarakhand chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat distributed 17 key positions in different boards, councils and corporations, sparking speculation of an expansion of the cabinet in the coming days. This move, many think, is a build up before the state assembly elections scheduled in the early part of next year.

According to a report in the Times of India, on February 26, senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member Anil Goyal was made the vice-chairperson of Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority and Kailash Pant was appointed at the chairperson of Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Advisory Committee. At least three berths in the state cabinet are lying vacant.

A few months ago, signs of rebellion had started to show in the party against the chief minister. Bishan Singh Chuphal, the BJP legislator from Didihat constituency in Pithoragarh district, had visited Delhi for an audience with central party president J.P. Nadda in early September last year to share his “concerns” regarding corruption in the state under the leadership of Rawat.

Chuphal, a prominent BJP leader and a contender for the top post, had claimed that under Rawat, no development work has taken place in his area in the last three years. Like Chuphal, another BJP leader Umesh Sharma had also complained about “delays in development work” under Rawat in an email to Nadda in September. BJP MLA Puran Singh Fartyal had also reportedly written to Nadda alleging corruption “in road construction between Tanakpur and Jauljibi”.

The expansion of cabinet berths is being viewed at as the chief minister’s way to silence the dissenters.

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