Haryana: First Expansion Of Manohar Lal Khattar's Cabinet Underway

Chandigarh: The first expansion of Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar;s cabinet will be held on Thursday after 12:30 pm, 17 days after he and his deputy Dushyant Chautala took oath of office and secrecy.

As per sources, ten ministers will take oath today. The following leaders may be allocated berth in the new cabinet: Anil Vij, Kanwar Pal, Moolchand Sharma, Ranjit Singh, JP Dalaal and Banwari Lal Om Prakash Yadav, Kamlesh Dhandha, Anoop Dhanak, Sandeep Singh are likely to take oath as Ministers of State (independent charge).

BJP leader Khattar took oath along with his alliance partner Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) leader Chautala, the great grandson of former deputy prime minister late Devi Lal, on October 27.

Governor Satyadeo Narain Arya will administer the oath at a ceremony in Raj Bhawan here at 12.30 p.m., a government statement said.

The Cabinet can have a maximum of 14 ministers, including the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister.

The BJP won 40 seats and was six short of a majority in the 90-member Assembly.Besides the 10 JJP legislators, seven independent MLAs have also extended support to the BJP, helping it reach a tally of 57 seats.

The Congress won 31 seats, improving its tally from 19 in 2014.

Sources said the JJP, besides the Deputy Chief Minister's post, has been eyeing crucial portfolios of Home, Finance and Excise and Taxation.

(With inputs from agencies)