By IANS,
Jaipur : Ashok Gehlot’s government in Rajasthan is set to seek a vote of confidence in the state assembly session beginning Jan 1, Congress officials said here Monday, even as the chief minister allotted portfolios to 13 of his cabinet colleagues.
“The session is likely to be a weeklong one and the governor’s speech would contain the priorities of the new Congress government in the state,” a leader of the new ruling party told IANS on condition of anonymity.
The Congress fell short of majority, but emerged as the single largest party, winning 96 of the 200 assembly seats in Rajasthan in the Dec 4 poll. The governor had asked the government to prove its majority in the house within a month.
Eleven independent legislators have already announced their support to the government and Gehlot has given ministerial berths to four of them.
According to party sources, more independent legislators are likely to be included in the cabinet once Gehlot proves his majority in the house.
“We are going to expand our ministry after we seek the confidence vote,” Gehlot had told reporters earlier.
Late Sunday, the chief minister allocated portfolios to 13 of his cabinet colleagues who had taken oath of office Friday.
The medical and health department has been allocated to Aimaduddin alias Duru Miyan, Bharat Singh has been given charge of rural development, while Bina Kak would be the tourism minister. Brij Kishore Sharma has been given transport, Harji Ram Burdak would handle agriculture and Mahipal Maderna got water resources.
Further, Prasadi Lal Meena has been allocated cooperatives, Mahendrajeet Singh Malviya would look after tribal area development and public grievances, Shanti Dhariwal is industries minister and Hema Ram Chaudhary the new revenue minister.
The two ministers of state R.K. Saini and Golma Devi have been given social justice and khadi and village industries respectively.
Gehlot has currently kept 37 portfolios with himself, including home and finance.