Retired engineer demands CM Shivraj to include him in MP Cabinet, else exclude 14 recently inducted ministers

In a very interesting turn of events, a retired engineer, and self-proclaimed social worker has demanded Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to appoint him as a minister in the state Cabinet.

The man, Balchand Verma, through a letter has contended that in the Cabinet expansion of Chouhan's Cabinet conducted earlier this month, "14 such ministers took oath who are not even members of the current Vidhan Sabha and are ordinary citizens. Prior to this between 2013 and 2018 too during your tenure as the CM, five people, who were not members of the Vidhan Sabha, were made ministers."

Verma has, therefore, urged the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister to induct him in his Cabinet and assign a portfolio within three days of receiving the letter.

He further said that he was not interested in taking the salary given to ministers, in case of his inclusion in the Cabinet.

The letter further urges the Chief Minister to remove the 14 ministers from his Cabinet, if Verma is not included and ends with a warning that the CM would be responsible for anything bad which happens in the future if neither of the two conditions are met.

Twenty-eight Ministers, who joined the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government in Madhya Pradesh, were administered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor Anandiben Patel at Raj Bhawan in Bhopal on July 2.

Notably, this was the second cabinet expansion since CM Chouhan returned to the helm of state affairs on March 23. He had earlier only inducted five ministers in the cabinet in April.

( With inputs from ANI )