Rajasthan Cabinet Expansion: Twenty-two Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs were sworn in as ministers of the Rajasthan government during a ceremony held at the Raj Bhawan on Saturday. Governor Kalraj Mishra administered the oath of office to the newly appointed ministers, marking the cabinet expansion nearly a month after the Rajasthan election results were declared. Among the sworn-in ministers, twelve assumed the role of cabinet ministers, five were appointed as ministers of state (independent charge), and five took the oath as ministers of state, news agency PTI reported.


The MLAs sworn in include prominent BJP leaders such as Kirodi Lal Meena, Madan Dilawar, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, Gajendra Singh Khinvsar, Babulal Kharadi, Jogaram Patel, Suresh Singh Rawat, Avinash Gehlot, Joraram Kumawat, Hemant Meena, Kanhaiya Lal Choudhary, and Sumit Godara.


Sanjay Sharma, Gautam Kumar, Jhabar Singh Kharra, Surendra Pal Singh, and Heeralal Nagar were also sworn in as ministers of state (independent charge) during the ceremony.


Notably, the BJP has also made Surendrapal Singh, a candidate contesting from the Karanpur assembly seat, as Minister of State (Independent Charge) even as voting on this seat is to be held on January 5. The Congress slammed the BJP over this move flagging it as a model code violation. More On It: 'Ego At Its Peak': Cong Claims MCC Violation As BJP's Karanpur Poll Nominee Made Rajasthan Minister


"I have been given a responsibility and I welcome it. I thank PM Modi, JP Nadda, Amit Shah, CM Bhajanlal Sharma, workers of BJP for giving me this opportunity to serve Rajasthan directly. I ensure that for the next five years my department will work wholeheartedly for the people of Rajasthan," Rajyavardhan Rathore said, as quoted by PTI.



BJP MLA Dr Kirodi Lal Meena told news agency ANI that he will work for the people of Rajasthan as their protector. "We will stay among people and will listen to their issues...we will have zero tolerance for corruption...ensure that no paper leaks happen and will work for women's safety," he was quoted as saying.



Rajasthan BJP President CP Joshi mentioned that this cabinet is a mix of all age groups and classes and people from all over the state. "I think an amazing cabinet has been formed today," he told ANI.



The swearing-in ceremony took place at the Raj Bhawan at 3:15 pm, with Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma receiving Governor Kalraj Mishra's nod for the event. Ahead of the ceremony, several MLAs, including Madan Dilawar and Kailash Meena, engaged in discussions with senior party leaders at the BJP office in Jaipur.


The cabinet expansion comes after Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma met with the BJP high command in Delhi on Friday. The results of the Rajasthan assembly elections were announced on December 3, with the BJP securing 115 out of the 199 seats, leading to Bhajanlal Sharma being named as the Chief Minister and Diya Kumari and Prem Chand Bairwa as his deputies on December 12.


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