Ranchi: Champai Soren government will expand the cabinet on 16 February. There is intense political activity in the ruling party regarding the post of minister. Eight ministers of JMM and Congress are to get a place in Champai Soren’s government. There is a fixed place for three ministers from the Congress quota. The picture regarding ministerial posts within Congress is not clear. The Congress high command is stuck in a dilemma whether to trust the old face or give command to a new one. Many leaders, including Congress Legislature Party leader Alamgir Alam, are lobbying to move ahead with the old ministers. Many leaders of the state believe that the party should not move towards any change for five-six months. The leaders who were ministers in the Hemant Soren government have conveyed their views to the Delhi court.
Here, many names are being discussed within the party regarding the post of minister. Leaders like Pradeep Yadav, Deepika Pandey, Purnima Neeraj Singh, Anoop Singh have their own lobbying. Bhushan Bada’s name is also becoming a new face within the Congress. According to Congress sources, if Hemant Soren’s ministers will be dropped, then the names of Dr. Rameshwar Oraon and Banna Gupta are doing the rounds. Although this is speculation at the moment. The card has to be opened to the Congress high command. Here, Basant Soren’s name is at the forefront for the post of minister from JMM quota. It is considered certain that Mr. Soren will join the cabinet. There is doubt on the name of Sita Sorane. According to political sources, two people from Shibu Soren family would hardly get a place in the cabinet. The berths of Mithilesh Thakur and Joba Manjhi in JMM are considered safe. Bets can be made on the names of JMM Sudivya Kumar Sonu, Stephen Marandi.
Congress does not want to make a potential candidate for Lok Sabha elections a minister.
A formula is being worked on within the Congress. Consideration is being made not to make potential candidates for Lok Sabha elections ministers. The party believes that powerful candidates should be kept away from the government. They should be thrown into the electoral fray.