(Tribune)
Since the formation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, headed by Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat, following a landslide victory in the Assembly elections, the focus has shifted in the ruling party to two vacant ministerial posts and adjustment of senior party leaders at the Centre.The BJP decided to give the reins of the state to Trivendra Singh Rawat, a former RSS ‘Pracharak’ and close confidant of party national chief Amit Shah, who was sworn in with a team of nine other ministers leaving two positions vacant. The state could have a total of 12 ministers, including the Chief Minister. Senior BJP party legislators who had been left out of the state ministry are still hopeful of making the cut and are involved in intense lobbying with the Central party leadership.
There were even murmurs of protest as some of the seniormost party legislators were left out and five legislators with the Congress party background were given ministerial positions. Three senior party legislators — Harbans Kapoor, who had won the Assembly election for the eighth consecutive time, Bishan Singh Chupal and Banshi Dhar Bhagat who are representing for the fourth time — are hopeful that they will be considered for the two vacant ministerial positions. However, the Chief Minister seems to be going slow on the issue and consulting the Central party leadership on every issue.
