Speculations rife about Tirath Singh Rawat and Anil Baluni to be inducted as ministers

In view of the Uttarakhand assembly elections just eight months ahead and the saffron party not in a very comfortable position in Uttarakhand after three chief ministers being changed in just three n a half months, the central party high command wants to accommodate at least two ministers in the new cabinet expansion to pacify the annoyed electorates and party’s rank and file.

Finding itself in tight position after the news reports of Uttarakhand electorates and party’s rank and file including certain MLAs n ministers not happy with the central leadership, the prime minister Narendra Modi and union home minister want to accommodate at least two ministers in union cabinet from Uttarakhand especially from Garhwal region in order to pacify the soared tempers.

It may be recalled that the two earlier chief ministers from Pauri Garhwal Trivendra Singh Rawat and Tirath Singh Rawat had been unceremoniously removed finally bringing a new young face of 45 years from Kumaon Pushkar Singh Dhami.

According to reliable sources the names of former Uttarakhand CM Tirath Singh Rawat, who is a sitting MP and Rajya Sabha MP from Uttarakhand Anil Baluni both from Garhwal region are likely to be inducted in the central cabinet giving them state minister ranks.

Anil Baluni who is the national media in-charge of BJP’s national IT cell and chief spokesman of the party being close to the PM, HM and Party chief JP Nadda will be probably be allocated the Information and Broadcasting ministry’s charge.

Baluni had been active in getting various projects of oxygen and earlier ICUs in interior hospitals of Garhwal including a train service flagged off by Railway minister Piyush Goyal etc marking his pivotal presence in Uttarakhand politics.

During the Covid 19 challenging lockdown period he had used his good offices and supplied oxygen cylinders and concentrators in various affected villages, hospitals and health centres using his personal connections.

The prime minister Narendra Modi wants to give adequate representation to Uttarakhand in view of the fast approaching assembly elections as at present only one Lok Sabha MP from Haridwar is representing Uttarakhand as union education minister Dr. Ramesh Pokhariyal Nishank in the Council of misters. From 2016 to 2019, Almora MP Ajay Tamta was the minister of state for Textiles. Currently he is MP from the Almora ( reserve) parliamentary seat.

It may be recalled that Tirath Singh Rawat was replaced by Pushkar Singh Dhami as the 11 th chief minister of Uttarakhand few days ago on the pretext of the outgoing CM facing constitutional impediment of not being able to contest in view of certain provisions of Article 154( A) of Peoples’ Representation Act. Uttarakhand witnessed three CMs in just 3 month 25 days leading to rumours about thirty MLAs likely to rebel in protest against the election of a less experienced CM of the state allegedly led by BJP heavy weights Satpal Rawat and Harak Singh Rawat.

However, at present the confusions seems to have been clear with situation under control claim BJP leaders. Currently there are fifty three ministers at the centre other than PM Narendra Modi. In the next cabinet expansion JD (U) nominees, APNA Dal and LJP may also get cabinet berth reveal sources with Anupriya Patel of APNA Dal, brother of Ram Vilas Paswan Pasupati Kumar Paras etc likely to be ministers. Keeping in view the Uttarakhand elections just 8 months ahead and the anti establishment factor on the rise, party chief J.P. Nadda and union home minister Amit Shah are in no mood to lose the hilly state where it had achieved 57 seats in 2017 reveal sources.