Jaipur, (Samajweekly) The BJP has been springing surprises in different states from time to time. From selecting candidates for the assembly polls to selecting the CM face to distributing portfolios, the party at times has been leaving one and all shocked.
This time, the BJP, which first sprang a surprise in the announcement of the name of the new Rajasthan Chief Minister and then in the expansion of the cabinet, also surprised in the distribution of departments.
The first shocking factor is the distribution of the finance portfolio to a deputy CM.
Diya Kumari has been made the Finance Minister. For years, the budget was being read in the assembly either by former CM Vasundhara Raje or Ashok Gehlot. This is because the BJP and Congress came to power every alternate term.
Now after 5 terms, a new face will be reading the budget which is finance minister Diya Kumari who is the deputy CM of Rajasthan.
The second surprising decision is the division of big departments like the UDH and Energy. These departments have not been given to cabinet ministers but have been given to ministers of state with independent charge.
After the division of departments, deputy CM Diya Kumari has emerged as the most powerful. Apart from major portfolios like Finance and PWD, she has the Tourism Department and the Women and Child Development Department.
Diya Kumari not only has powerful departments, but she will also present the budget as the Finance Minister.
Party sources answering the query on why she has been given these important portfolios said that Diya Kumari’s name was also among the contenders for Chief Minister, but due to caste and political equations and the party’s strategy, she got the post of deputy CM.
Earlier there was talk of giving her the Home department also, but on the lines of the UP formula, the party kept this ministry with the CM.
Diya Kumari is the choice of the high command. It was considered certain that she would get a powerful department. There were several rounds of discussions on this issue at the high command level, said party sources.
After the distribution of portfolios to the ministers of the Bhajanlal government, the power balance has become clear. On the lines of the Uttar Pradesh formula, the Home Department and ACB have been kept by CM Bhajanlal Sharma.
The CM has kept the departments of crime and corruption control with himself, there are many reasons behind this. Even during the previous Congress government, the Home Department was with the Chief Minister.
Departments like Personnel, GAD and ACB have earlier also remained with the Chief Minister. Compared to Vasundhara Raje and Ashok Gehlot, Bhajanlal Sharma has kept fewer portfolios.
Jhabarsingh Kharra, who became a minister for the first time, has been given important departments like UDH and Autonomous Government which has left everyone surprised.
Minister of State with independent charge Hiralal Nagar has been given the responsibility of Energy, Gautam Duk has been given the responsibility of Cooperation, Sanjay Sharma has been made Forest Minister.
There are 8 departments with the CM including Personnel, Excise, Home, Planning, General Administration, Policy Making Cell-Chief Minister’s Secretariat, Information Public Relations Department, Anti-Corruption Bureau and Mining.
Vasundhara Raje had 26 portfolios after the final reshuffle of the Council of Ministers in December 2016.
She had the Personnel Department, Rajasthan State Investigation Bureau, Finance, Taxation, Excise, Planning department, Planning (Manpower and Gazetteers) Department, Statistics Department, Cabinet Secretariat.
Apart from this, Policy Planning Cell – Chief Minister’s Secretariat, Information Public Relations Department, Information Technology Communication Department, Energy Department, Public Prosecution Redressal Department, Administrative Reforms and Coordination Department, Legal Affairs Department and Legal Consultancy Office were also under her.
The Congress’ Ashok Gehlot had 9 departments in December 2018. When the government was formed in 2018, Ashok Gehlot had the Finance Department, Excise, Planning Department, Policy Planning Department, General Administration Department, Rajasthan State Investigation Bureau, Information Technology and Communications Department, Home Affairs and Justice Department.
After the cabinet reshuffle in November 2021, the then CM Ashok Gehlot had 10 departments. Gehlot held the Finance Department, Taxation, Home and Justice Department, Personnel Department, General Administration, Cabinet Secretariat, Overseas Indian Department, Information Technology and Communications, Rajasthan State Investigation Bureau, Information Public Relations Department.
The PWD department was given to Sachin Pilot as Deputy CM during the Congress rule. Diya Kumari has also been given the same department.
Sachin Pilot was removed after his rebellion in July 2020 and this department went to the CM.
After this, Bhajanlal Jatav was given the responsibility of PWD. Yunus Khan had this department in the Vasundhara Raje government.
Gulabchand Kataria was the Home Minister in both Raje governments.
Vasundhara Raje had kept the Home Department with herself for some time in the second term, but later made Kataria the Home Minister. Ashok Gehlot kept the Home Department with himself throughout his third term.
