Gujarat: 24 ministers sworn in; not a single induction from Rupani-led ministry
Gandhinagar, (PTI): Making amply clear that it is in a mood for a complete overhaul in Gujarat ahead of the 2022 state polls, the BJP on Thursday inducted 24 ministers, including 21 who have become ministers for the first time.
With the fresh inductions, the strength of the ministry led by CM Bhupendra Patel, a first-term MLA and minister, has gone up to 25.
Those sworn in at the 1.30 pm Raj Bhavan ceremony include former Assembly Speaker Rajendra Trivedi and former state BJP president Jitu Vaghani.
No minister from the earlier Vijay Rupani-led ministry was inducted.
Governor Acharya Devvrat administered the oath to 10 cabinet ministers and 14 ministers of state, including five ministers of state with independent charge.
Bhupendra Patel (59), who was sworn in as the 17th chief minister of the state on Monday, was present at the Raj Bhavan ceremony, along with Rupani, whose sudden resignation from the post on Saturday led to the formation of the new ministry.
The following were sworn in as cabinet ministers: Rajendra Trivedi, Jitu Vaghani, Rushikesh Patel, Purnesh Modi, Raghavji Patel, Kanubhai Desai, Kiritsinh Rana, Naresh Patel, Pradip Parmar and Arjunsinh Chauhan.
Trivedi, Rana and Raghavji Patel have been ministers earlier.
The nine ministers of state are Mukesh Patel, Nimisha Suthar, Arvind Raiyani, Kuber Dindor, Kirtisinh Vaghela, Gajendrasinh Parmar, R C Makwana, Vinod Moradia and Deva Malam.
Ahead of the swearing-in, there were speculations that senior ministers in the Rupani ministry, like Nitin Patel, Bhupendrasinh Chudasama, Kaushik Patel, Pradeepsinh Jadeja, and R C Faldu may not be included. The BJP took the no-repeat formula a step further by not inducting any member of the Rupani ministry.
Political observers say the BJP expects to make an impact ahead of the 2022 Assembly polls with this new-look ministry.
After picking Patel, a Patidar community leader as the CM, the BJP has given berth to six Patels and OBCs each, four from scheduled tribes, three from scheduled castes, two each from among brahmins and kshatriyas and one member from the Jain community.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
NDRF, SDRF teams continue efforts to rescue 3-yr-old girl from borewell in Rajasthan
Jaipur, Dec 24: Efforts to rescue a three-year-old girl who fell into a 150 feet deep borewell in Kotputli-Behror district of Rajasthan continued on Tuesday.
The girl, Chetna, fell into the borewell while playing in the agriculture farm of her father on Monday.
SHO Sarund Mohammad Imran said teams of NDRF and SDRF are trying to rescue the girl safely.
Senior Commandant of NDRF Yogesh Meena said, "After failing to safely pull out the girl from the borewell with a ring rod, efforts are being made to pull her out with another local equipment made of iron plate."
The girl's actions were captured on camera and an oxygen pipe was lowered into the borewell to supply oxygen.
Two weeks ago, a five-year-old child fell into a borewell in Dausa district. The rescue operation to rescue the child safely lasted for more than 55 hours. However, by the time he was pulled out, the child had lost the battle of life.
