Uttarakhand cabinet expansion at 5 pm

New Delhi, March 12 : The Uttarakhand Cabinet is likely to be expanded on Friday. According to sources, newly appointed Chief Minister Tirath Singh Rawat may induct 11 ministers in his cabinet during the oath taking ceremony scheduled at Raj Bhawan in Dehradun later.
Uttarakhand BJP Vice President Devendra Bhasin told IANS expansion of Tirath Singh Rawat’s cabinet is scheduled at 5 p.m. Former Uttarakhand BJP chief Bansidhar Bhagat is likely to be inducted in the Tirath Singh Rawat cabinet, the source added.
As per provisions, Uttarakhand cabinet can have maximum 12 ministers including the Chief Minister. In Trivendra Singh Rawat government, three ministerial berths were lying vacant.
“A year before assembly elections, party will try to make everyone happy by giving ministerial position to maximum MLAs as per provisions. All the ministers in previous government are likely to be inducted in new cabinet,” said a party leader.
Earlier in the day, Bhagat was replaced as Uttarakhand BJP chief by state minister in Trivendra Singh Rawat government and Haridwar MLA Madan Kaushik.
“Going with party policy of ‘one man, one post’, Bhagat was replaced by Kaushik and former state unit chief is likely to be inducted in the Tirath Singh Rawat government as Minister,” said a BJP leader.