According to latest reports Ministry was to be expanded on June 2. But on June 1 the Chief Minister told the media that there is no hurry for cabinet expansion. It appears that the Cabinet expansion has been postponed because of variety of reasons. One of them is Chouhan’s failure to get appointment with Prime Minister Modi. Besides BJP finds itself on tight rope, balancing the burden of meeting the demands of Jyotiraditya Scindia’s followers and the expectations of its long-time leaders who have been waiting for their due. With more than 70 strong contenders, it seems the party is finding it hard to come to a meeting point.

The Chief Minister said on Monday that there is no cause for haste. “I am not in a hurry for cabinet expansion. I am not going to New Delhi with the list of probables. Wait for some time, I may go to Delhi by tomorrow or day after”. Chouhan said, in response to queries on cabinet expansion.

Sources in BJP said that Chouhan’s proposed visit to New Delhi was cancelled due to non-availability of an appointment from the Prime Minister’s Office. Chouhan had sought appointment with PM Modi, BJP national president JP Nadda, home minister Amit Shah and Jyotiraditya Scindia to discuss the names to be inducted in the cabinet, say sources. According to sources, there is no dispute on the names and the state party leadership has given the green light to the shortlist. The tussle is over portfolios.

There is a clear indication that four to five former ministers close to Chouhan will be dropped to accommodate young members. Those from the Scindia camp who are ‘clear choices’ to make the cut are Imarti Devi, Pradyuman Singh Tomar, Mahendra Singh Sisodia and Prabhuram Chaudhary. Scindia aides Tulsiram Silwat and Govind Singh Rajput were induced on April 21. Rajyavardhan Singh Dattigaon and Ranvir Singh are among the probables, say sources.

Among the others who broke away from Congress three members – veteran tribal leader Bisahulal Singh, Aidal Singh Kanasn and Hardeep Singh Dang – may also make the cut. BJP is facing tough lobbying from within for cabinet berths. Sources say eight former ministers of Chouhan cabinet may be nominated again.

Senior leaders like Gopal Bhargava, Bhupendra Singh, Rampal Singh, Yashodhara Raje Scindia, Ajay Vishnoi, Gaurishankar Bisen, Rajendra Shukla, Sitsaran Sharma, Sanjay Pathak, Arvind Bhadoria and Usha Thakur are some strong contenders. In Bhopal the party may elevate former minister Vishvas Sarang and senior MLA Rameshwar Sharma, who is the Hindutava face of BJP, may also find a place.

Sources said Chouhan is likely to discuss allocation of portfolios. Public relations, transport, cooperative, forest, mining, urban development, finance, industries and energy are some of the important departments yet to be allocated. In view of Covid-19 crisis, department of medical education, women and child development, Bhopal Gas tragedy relief and rehabilitation and panchayat and rural development are also much sought. The national leadership will take a final call on all recommendations sources said.

But most important reason for the postponement of the Cabinet expansion is the announcement for the date of Rajya Sabha poll. The local leadership thought that those party legislators who will not get a berth in the Cabinet may resort to cross voting. In order to avoid such an event it was decided to postpone the expansion of cabinet.

The second controversy relates to dispute between the government and the liquor dealers over the question of opening of liquor shops. The dispute took dramatic turn when a division bench of the M. P. High Court issued notice to the principal secretary excise and the excise commissioner of MP, seeking reply why action should not be initiated against them for contempt of court.

The bench headed by Chief Justice A. K. Mittal issued the notice to two top officials of the excise department after the petitioners – 30 liquor contractors of the state- moved an application in the court alleging that the excise department had issued notices to some liquor contractors warning of action for not opening their shops and had also confiscated the amount of bank guarantee of liquor contractor in Mandsaur despite the court directive in the previous hearing “not to take any coercive action” against the petitioners.

The petitioners comprising liquor contractors, who have got contracts to operate liquor shops at different places in the state in the year 2020-21 had in the previous hearing pleaded with the court to cancel their contracts because they won’t be able to run the shops on the existing terms and conditions.

A majority of liquor contractors in the state had refused to open their shop when the state government gave them permission to do so during the later part of lockdown-4.

They were asking for reduction in the license fee as the shops remained closed for two months, causing them huge financial losses. Even when they were permitted to open the shops, it was only for few hours during the day while in the contract, they could have opened the shop from 9.30 am to 11.00 pm.

When their talks with the state government failed, they had moved the court, which had asked the MP government to resolve the issue accordance with a decision of the Punjab and Haryana high court in a similar dispute. In the previous hearing it asked the state government to present a final action taken report in the matter and not to proceed with any coercive action against the petitioners. (IPA Service)