Jharkhand cabinet set to expand on February 16

The Jharkhand government, led by Chief Minister Champai Soren, is gearing up for a cabinet expansion scheduled for February 16. Anticipated to introduce four to five new faces, the expansion will witness two ministers obtaining the status of Deputy Chief Minister.

Among the speculations, one Deputy Chief Minister is expected to be from the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), while the other will be from the Congress quota. The existing Congress ministers, Alamgir Alam and Banna Gupta, took oath on February 2, with discussions surrounding the potential replacement of two out of the remaining three faces.

The possible exclusion of Dr. Rameshwar Oraon, based on age, and controversies surrounding Banna Gupta may lead to changes in the Congress quota. Deepika Pandey Singh, a trusted youth leader associated with Rahul Gandhi, is considered a strong contender for a ministerial position.

In the JMM camp, speculations arise over whether Hemant Soren's younger brother, Basant Soren, or sister-in-law, Sita Soren, will secure the ministerial post, with indications that only one of them will be chosen. The total number of ministers in the cabinet can reach a maximum of 12, based on the strength of MLAs in Jharkhand, whereas the previous government under Hemant Soren had 11 ministers.