Himachal Cabinet Expansion: Vikramaditya Singh, Jagat Negi Among 7 New Ministers Sworn-In At Raj Bhavan

Himachal Cabinet: There are 10 vacancies in the council of ministers, as the total number of ministers, including the CM and deputy CM in the state cannot exceed 12.

The swearing-in ceremony of the members of the Himachal Pradesh cabinet has begun at the Raj Bhavan in Shimla.

MLA Vikramaditya Singh, son of former chief minister Virbhadhra Singh has taken the oath as a cabinet minister. A total of 7 MLAs- Dr. Dhani Ram Shandil, Chander Kumar, Harshwardhan Chauhan, Jagat Singh Negi, Rohit Thakur, Anirudh Singh and Vikramaditya Singh took oath as cabinet ministers. 

Himachal Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and Deputy CM Mukesh Agnihotri are among the attendees of the ceremony.

It comes after Himachal Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu earlier announced that Cabinet expansion will be done soon, and in this regard, a list of 10 people has been submitted to the party's high command.

The list of probable ministers has been handed over to the party high command and expansion would be done only after the list is cleared by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Sukhu said.

Former chief minister Virbhadhra Singh's son Vikramaditya Singh and eldest MLA Dhani Ram Shandil are among the seven new legislators set to be inducted into the Himachal Pradesh Cabinet, news agency PTI reported citing party sources.

Sandil (82) defeated his son-in-law in the Solan assembly seat, while Vikramaditya was elected from Shimla Rural.

Besides this, Harshwardhan Singh Chauhan, a five-time MLA from Shillai, will be sworn in, top party sources told PTI on Saturday. Chander Kumar, Jagat Singh Negi, and Rohit Thakur, all five-term MLAs, will also take their oaths as ministers on Sunday, they added.

Himachal Cabinet expansion is likely on Sunday or later, Sukhu said after returning from Delhi where he held deliberations with top party leaders on the issue.

It is to be noted that there are 10 vacancies in the council of ministers, as the total number of ministers, including the chief minister and deputy chief minister in Himachal Pradesh cannot exceed 12.

Three out of 12 districts in the hill state have been given representation - CM Sukhu from Hamirpur, Agnihotri from Una, and five times MLA from Bhatiyyat Kuldeep Pathania, who is from Chamba, as Assembly Speaker, news agency PTI reported.

One minister is expected from the Tribal areas of Lahaul and Spiti and Kinnaur. Kangra and Shimla with 10 and seven Congress MLAs respectively are expected to be given a share in the state cabinet.

Sukhu had earlier said that the cabinet would be expanded in consultation with the Congress high command and it would be a mix of professionals, youth and representatives of various sections.

Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu was made the Chief Minister of the hill state after Congress won the state legislative polls by winning 40 of the 68 assembly seats.