BJP’s Vij, JJP’s Gautam among probables in Khattar Cabinet

Chandigarh, October 26

Six-time MLA Anil Vij, Banwari Lal and Seema Trikha from the BJP, while Ram Kumar Gautam and Ishwar Singh from the JJP are among the probables who are likely to get ministerial berths in the new Haryana government.

Among seven Independents, who are supporting the BJP-led coalition which will be sworn in on Diwali day here on Sunday, late Devi Lal’s son Ranjit Singh Chautala is among the frontrunners for the ministerial post, party sources said.

Vij, who was the Health Minister in the previous term, is the senior-most leader of the party to have been elected for the sixth term from Ambala Cantt.

Other BJP MLAs doing rounds for ministerial berths are Mahaipal Dhanda, Ghanshyam Saraf, Kamal Gupta, Subhash Sudha and Deepak Mangla, the sources said.

Haryana Governor Satyadeo Narain Arya on Saturday invited the BJP-led coalition to form the next government in the state.

Manohar Lal Khattar and Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) leader Dushyant Chautala will take oath as Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister, respectively, on Sunday.

The Chief Minister-elect Khattar said the oath-taking ceremony will take place at 2.15 p.m. at the Haryana Raj Bhavan where he along with Dushyant Chautala will be sworn in.

Replying to a question who will take oath as ministers in the new government, Khattar said this will be made known on Sunday.

The BJP on Friday had sealed a deal with the JJP to form the next government in Haryana after the saffron party fell short of six seats from the majority mark.

Under the arrangement, the Chief Minister will be from the BJP and the Deputy CM from the JJP.

The JJP won 10 seats in the polls to the 90-member Haryana Assembly. PTI