By IANS,
Ranchi: Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren kept key portfolios like home and mines with himself as he Tuesday allocated portfolios to the ministers – three days after he expanded his cabinet.
Soren has kept a charge of 14 departments with himself. Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Raghubar Das has been allocated six departments including finance, urban development and energy, while the other Deputy Chief Minister Sudesh Mahto (All Jharkhand Students Union) has been allocated four departments including road construction, forests and environment.
The allocation of portfolios was delayed as alliance partners were scrambling for key ministries.
Though Soren, who was sworn-in on Dec 30 and won the trust vote Jan 7, denied that there is any problem, sources in the JMM said the BJP and the AJSU were trying to get the rural development, energy, home, health and other major ministries for themselves.
A party insider said the AJSU was particularly angling for home. Soren had agreed to some of their demands but was against giving home to Mahto.